Born To Be Wild
by Northern-Southern Belle
Summary: Elijah and Selina are dealing with Laura and Edward's upcoming wedding and surprise pregnancy when they find out that Sam, Selina's son from a long-ago fling with Damon, is being targeted by the uber-powerful witch Hazel as punishment for being conceived via an illegal fertility potion. Hazel is also after Roxie's son Joey, who finds love on the run with a female werewolf.
1. Bonnie and Clyde

Disclaimer: Only original characters and the plot belong to me!

**This is a sequel to: The Young And The Restless**

For the third day in a row, Laura woke up feeling ill. "Call school again," she told Edward. "I don't feel like going today, either."

"But this is the_ third _day," Edward replied. "You can't just be skipping school all the time. How will you graduate?"

"I would have thought you'd have more sympathy for me that that!" Laura snapped. "Seeing as how me being sick is unnatural, yet, look at me!" She paused and then hopped out of bed and ran for the bathroom. "That's it," Edward told her. "I'm taking you to Enid's. She'll be able to tell you what's wrong."

"She's gone, didn't you hear?" Laura called. "Hazel found out about Joey and now Enid's being read the riot act! And I know what's wrong!

"Well, who else could we ask?" Edward asked, ignoring Laura's last comment. "Not a human doctor. They wouldn't take kindly to vampires."

"Maybe Alistair," Laura suggested, realizing Edward wouldn't let this 'doctor' thing go.

"All right," Edward replied. "We'll take you to go see Alistair and I hope he'll tell us that whatever is wrong with you will go away and you'll be able to enjoy graduation and our wedding."

"Fine," Laura groaned. "We'll go see Alistair. But until then, _please_ let me stay in bed!"

* * *

><p>When Edward was finally able to rouse Laura, he helped her into clothes and they drove over to Alistair and Astrid's. When they arrived, they knocked and furiously rang the bell for what seemed like hours, until a very grumpy Alistair opened the door. "What?" He barked. "I was sleeping!"<p>

"Sorry," Edward replied quickly. "We just need a favor. It will only take a moment or two. Can we come in?"

Alistair groaned and gestured for them to come inside. "Now, what is it that you want?" He asked gruffly.

"Laura's not feeling well, and we were wondering if you could tell us what's wrong," Edward replied.

Alistair looked at Edward incredulously. "Are you serious, boy? Don't you realize there's only one thing that could cause someone like her to be ill? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out!"

"Well, what is it, then?" Edward cried.

"I'm pregnant!" Laura burst out. "That's what's wrong with me, okay, Edward? I'm pregnant!"

Edward's eyes widened. "What? No. That's not possible. We used protection!"

"No protection is perfect," Laura told him. "One of your determined little swimmers probably got past it."

Edward leaned back, rubbing his temples. "Your father will kill me!" He said. "And I guess I always knew you were pregnant. I guess I just hoped that because of the timing, it would be something else."

"I'm sure that once Dad hears, he'll understand," Laura replied. "I think that at this point, the worst he'll do is move up the wedding. He won't kill you or anything."

Alistair cleared his throat. "Now that we have that problem solved," he asked, "could you two please leave so I can go back to bed?"

"Sure," Laura nodded and stood up, pulling Edward after her. "Sorry for disturbing you, Alistair."

* * *

><p>When they got home, Laura called her parents to tell them the news. Even though she'd assured him that Elijah wold be fine with it, Selina was the only one he let her tell.<p>

"You're pregnant?" Selina exclaimed. "That's wonderful. Your father will be so happy to hear, but he'll probably want to move up the wedding."

"I figured that," Laura responded. "But Edward's terrified, so please don't tell Daddy yet. Let me do it."

"Have you assured Edward everything will be okay?" Selina asked.

"I've tried," Laura replied. "But he doesn't believe me."

"Poor guy," Selina replied sympathetically. "All right. I'll let you be the one to tell your dad. Congratulations again, and if you need me to come over and take care of you, don't hesitate to call."

"All right," Laura replied. "I won't. Thanks, Mom." She hung up the phone and gave Edward a look. "I told Mom not to tell Dad. Are you happy?"

"For the time being," Edward nodded. "How much extra time do you think that gives us?"

"I don't know," Laura told him. "Just keep in mind that Mom won't be able to keep silent forever and Daddy will have to know sometime."

Then she ran off to the bathroom, leaving Edward alone with his thoughts.

* * *

><p>Stefan and Felicity had gone out to lunch, but Sam had decided to stay home. He'd been reading a book in silence until he heard the doorbell ring. He went to answer it, and felt two men grab him and hit him hard from behind. The next time he came to consciousness, he found himself tied up in the backseat of a car. "What the hell?" He whispered.<p>

"Hey!" he heard a voice from the front seat. "You awake yet, boy?"

"Yes," Sam grumbled. "Who the hell are you? What am I doing here?"

"Our boss ordered us to take you," the man replied. "She's very interested in you."

"Oh, yeah?" Sam chuckled. "If she wants a date from me, there are better ways to ask!"

"You fool!" The man shouted. "What she wants you for is nothing as petty as that. She wants us to bring you to her because you are unnatural. We are taking you to our boss so she can kill you."

"Why me?" Sam asked.

"You're not supposed to be here," the man said. "Your father is a vampire...a made one. He cannot father children, yet here you are. Our boss even stopped looking for a rogue boy brought back from the dead to find you."

"So I have to die for a mistake my father made?" Sam sighed. "Wonderful."

* * *

><p>Stefan and Felicity pulled up to the house after the car that held Sam had disappeared. They went inside and looked for him, then Felicity found the forced open door and the note on Sam's pillow. "Call Grandma," She told Stefan. "Call your brother too. Sam has been kidnapped and they should know."<p>

Stefan nodded and quickly called Damon. "Sam's been kidnapped," he told his brother. "We thought you'd want to know."

"Who kidnapped him?" Damon asked.

"Somebody working for a woman named Hazel," Stefan told him. "I don't know more than that. Felicity and I were gone when it happened."

"All right," Damon nodded. "I'll let Selina know and see if she knows anything about Hazel."

Unfortunately for Damon, Elijah was the one who answered his call first. "Damon," he said. "What could possibly make you need to call my house?"

"It's Selina," Damon got out. "I need to talk to Selina. It's kind of an emergency, so could you just give her the phone, please?"

Elijah sighed and held the phone away from his ear. "Selina!" He called. "You have a phone call!"

Selina came running. "Who is it?" She asked.

"It's Damon Salvatore," Elijah replied. "He claims it's an emergency." Selina nodded and took the phone. "All right," she told Elijah before she put it to her ear. "You can go now that you gave me the message."

Elijah chuckled darkly. "While you converse with your ex-husband? I don't think so. I'll be staying right where I am. Because who's to say he won't start whispering sweet nothings once I'm gone?"

"If he says it's an emergency, I highly doubt romancing me is high on his list of conversational topics," Selina shot back. "You should really try some trust, Elijah."

"Hey!" Damon yelled from the other end of the line. "Did you not hear him tell you it was an emergency, Lina?"

Elijah scowled at the nickname, and Selina quickly put the phone to her ear. "Yes, sorry, Damon. What is it? What's the emergency?"

"According to Felicity and Stefan, Sam's been kidnapped by someone named Hazel. Does that name ring a bell with you?" Damon asked.

"Hazel?" Selina thought a moment. "I know of a Hazel. She's head of the witches and worked with Enid to try and kill off Adrian when I was pregnant with him so her sister Vanessa couldn't take over the world, but I don't have any idea what she'd want with Sam."

"Me neither," Damon replied. "Do you think we should wait for a phone call or something, or go find out where this Hazel lives and punch the daylights out of her until she gives us Sam back?"

"No, we shouldn't do that," Selina shook her head. "And don't you dare try and do it on your own, either. I'll go see Astrid and find out what she can tell me about Hazel, and what course of action we have. Don't do anything until I tell you I've done that, okay?"

"Fine," Damon sighed. "Even though I _really_ just want to hurt someone right now, I'll wait for your call."

"Good," Selina nodded. "Thank you, Damon. Goodbye."

"What's happened?" Elijah asked once Selina hung up.

"Nothing romantic," Selina assured him. "So you can stop with that train of thought. Apparently, Sam's been kidnapped by Vanessa's sister Hazel and we have no idea why."

"What would the most powerful witch in the world want with Sam?" Elijah asked. "There's nothing unusual about the boy. He's only a vampire."

"Oh!" Selina's eyes widened. "Maybe she won't see him that way. He exists because Damon took a potion that he got from Enid that allowed Damon to father children when ordinarily, that's not allowed. Maybe Hazel kidnapped Sam because of that and is gonna do something horrible like try and kill him! Elijah, I can't let that happen! I know I've been a horrible, neglectful mother to Sam, but damn it, I'm not gonna let him die!"

"Well, what is it you propose to do next?" Elijah asked. "I mean, proclamations of intent are nice, but they're useless if they don't turn into action."

"I know," Selina nodded. "I'll go see Alistair. Or Astrid. Whichever one I can find first."

* * *

><p>"Well, well, well," Alistair said when he opened the door and saw Selina on the other side. "Have you come to visit, or do you want something from me too?" He looked tired and pale. "Are you okay?" Selina asked. "Have I come at a bad time? I mean, I can talk to Astrid if you're worn out. And yes, by the way, I <em>do<em> need something from you."

"All right," Alistair sighed. "Come in." He led Selina into the kitchen where Astrid was preparing tea. "Would you like a cup?" She asked Selina.

"Sure," Selina nodded. "Thanks."

Astrid brought her her tea, and they both sat down at the kitchen table. "So," the witch began, "what brings you here? We don't see you all that often."

"She has something she wants from us," Alistair said. "That's a big surprise, isn't it?"

"Are you okay, Alistair?" Selina asked. "Why are you so grumpy? Did something bad happen today?"

"He was woken up much too early by Laura and Edward coming by," Astrid told her. "Apparently, Laura is pregnant. But you knew that already, didn't you?"

"Yes, I know," Selina grinned. "I'm so excited! Elijah will be too, although he's got to have this mask of seriousness put on. And he'll insist we move up the wedding..."

"What is it that you came to ask us?" Alistair interrupted. "Please, just spit it out!"

"My son Sam has been kidnapped by a witch named Hazel," Selina told Astrid. "Is there any way you could, you know, get a hold of her and ask why?"

"How long ago was he kidnapped?" Astrid asked.

Selina shrugged. "Probably an hour or two ago. I don't really know."

"Well, if Hazel hasn't appeared to me to tell me about the kidnapping, that probably means it's nothing that's my business, so we won't know," Astrid replied apologetically. "When Hazel has it in her head to do something, she doesn't always explain why."

"So that's it?" Selina asked. "Some crazy powerful witch has kidnapped my son and I'm not gonna know why or have an opportunity to save him? Would her kidnapping him have something to do with him being the result of a fertility potion Damon got from Enid and drank, even though that's technically illegal?"

Astrid nodded. "That's a very strong possibility," she said. "But I can't help you anymore, I'm sorry."

"All right," Selina nodded. "Thank you, Astrid." Then she looked at Alistair. "Try and get some rest," she suggested. "You look like you need it, and crabby is not a good color on anyone." She made her way out of the house and called Damon.

"Astrid said that the reason Sam was kidnapped might have something to do with the fact that he was conceived by that potion you got from Enid, since technically it's against the laws of nature for made vampires to have children."

"Well, that's not fair!" Damon exclaimed. "If Sam is being punished because I'm a made vampire who fathered a kid and that's illegal, why aren't both your families with Klaus and Elijah on the chopping block too?"

"Because the whole thing with me was foretold or something," Selina replied. "And thus, it's okay. I know it's weird and unfair, but that's how things are." She paused. "Speaking of the potion, I think I'll go to Enid's and talk to her. Maybe I'll find out more that way." She hung up the phone, got in her car, and drove to the bar.

* * *

><p>"Where's Enid?" Selina asked Roxie, who was pouring the drinks. "I need to ask her something."<p>

"She's gone," Roxie said and poured herself a glass of vodka. "Hazel found out about Enid bringing Joey back to life and she was mad as hell about it. Joey got away, though. I hope she doesn't catch him, cause who knows what she'll do since he defies nature by being alive and all."

"I don't think you have to worry about Joey," Selina assured her. "At least not for the moment. Apparently, Hazel found Sam and has turned her interests to him instead. He's been kidnapped, and she did it."

"Well, since he's the product of a potion Damon got from Enid, I'm not surprised," Roxie replied. "And I've told Addie she needs to be extra careful with herself now that Joey's got the bulls-eye on himself. I don't want to lose _both_ of my children."

"It'll be okay," Selina told her. "We'll get this all sorted out in the end, don't you worry."

Roxie nodded and took her mother's hand. "Same to you," she said. "And thanks. I really needed that."

* * *

><p>"So what exactly sent you our way?" Diana asked Joey as she helped him set up his tent. "I mean, we don't have newbie werewolves running here every day."<p>

"Did I tell you before?" Joey asked. "If I didn't, here it is again: Technically, I'm supposed to be dead. My mom took a bunch of supplements when she was pregnant with my twin sister and me in hopes that that would speed up her labor. We were born early, and my sister was small, and I was dead. It would have just been left like that, but Enid felt so bad for my parents that she used her powers to bring me back to life. My bum leg is the consequence of it, I guess, along with a life spent in seclusion because my parents never wanted Hazel to find out that Enid had broken the rules. But she has, and that's why I'm here. I need somewhere to hide."

"Well, maybe you're safe now," Diana suggested. "No one's come this way looking for you."

"If you don't want me here, why are you helping me set up a tent?" Joey asked her.

"It's not that I don't want you here," Diana replied. "But if you had a choice between being here or being with your family, which one would you pick? And be honest."

"Here," Joey said immediately. "Being here, it's the freest I've felt in my entire life."

"But aren't you worried about the family you've left behind?" Diana asked. "Don't you think your family is worried about you?"

Joey nodded. "They probably are, but I have my phone. Eventually, I'll call them and tell them I'm okay. That should clear things up."

Just then, a tall man approached both him and Diana. He looked imposing and had sunburnt skin and thick, bushy eybrows over mud-colored eyes.

"Diana," he asked her, indicating Joey. "Who's this?"

"His pack expelled him," Diana explained. "Well, actually he doesn't_ have_ a pack. But he needs a place to stay and I thought we could take him in. You don't mind, do you, Daddy?"

The man rolled his eyes. "Diana, you know how I hate your habit of bringing in strays. Do you know how dangerous it is? He might not even be a werewolf, but a human preparing to expose the whole species to the world instead!"

Diana turned to face Joey, her eyes wide. "I didn't think of that," she said. "You really _are_ a werewolf, aren't you?"

"Not officially," Joey replied. "But both my parents are, and Enid who runs the bar is my godmother."

"Well, I suppose that's good enough," Diana's father replied gruffly. "Now, who are your parents?"

"My mom is Roxie Talbot, and my dad is Vince Talbot," Joey replied immediately.

Diana moved instinctively in front of Joey as her father's teeth became bared and his eyes showed anger.

"Daddy?" She asked fearfully. "What's the matter?"

"Don't you protect him," her father huffed. "He's a Talbot. And any trouble he brings with him will just mean worse for the rest of us. Send him away, Diana."

"But Daddy, he's got a bad leg!" Diana cried. "He can't survive out there by himself!"

"So much the better!" Her father replied. "One less Talbot in the world is better for everyone."

"What was that about?" Joey asked as his leg finally gave out and he collapsed on the ground.

"I don't know," Diana replied, watching her father walk away. "But I won't send you away. Whatever has gone on between my family and yours, it won't make me turn my back on you, even if my father exiles both of us."

**A/N: This story is a crossover with my soon to be written fic, "Shadows of the Past."**


	2. A Romeo and Juliet Story

Ever since Enid had been found out by her sister, attendance at the bar was down. Roxie came every day to do her duty behind the bar, but she always ended up drinking more than she served.

Finally, one day her cell phone rang. After being in silence for so long, it startled her and she dropped her glass on the floor, where it shattered. "H-Hello?" She got out. "Who is this?"

"It's me, Mom," Joey told her. "I wanted to let you know I wasn't dead."

"Joey, oh, my god!" Roxie could feel herself start to cry with relief. "Where are you? Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm staying with a wolf pack that lives not too far from Aunt Enid's," He told her. "It's fine, even though the alpha male seems to have an issue with Dad's family. Would you know anything about that?"

"No," Roxie shook her head. "If you wanna know anything about your dad's family, you'll have to ask him. I'm glad you called though, and even more glad that you're okay."

"You know why I can't come back, though, right?" Joey asked. "And why you and Dad should never try to find me?"

"Yes," Roxie replied with a sigh. "I know. Just take care of yourself, okay?"

Then, with one last goodbye, Joey hung up and Roxie went into the bathroom to cry. Vince came in a few minutes later, and even though she was relieved to have his arms around her, she said, "What are you doing in here? This is the ladies' room."

Vince kissed her hair. "What happened? Do you need to go home?"

"No," Roxie sniffled and shook her head. "Joey just called is all. And he's okay. He had some questions that only you could answer, though, so expect a call from him later."

"All right," Vince nodded and held her against him. "I'll be waiting for it."

* * *

><p>The call came several hours later while Vince waited out the night shift. "Joey?" He said immediately without even saying 'Hello'. "Your mother said you would call. Is everything all right?"<p>

"Yeah," Joey replied. "Like I told Mom, I'm with a werewolf pack that doesn't live too far from the bar. The alpha male doesn't seem to like me too much and apparently has some issues with your family."

"Well, what's the alpha's name?" Vince asked, pulling his keys out of his pocket and preparing to go out to his car. Since the pack's camp was near the bar, it wouldn't be that far of a drive.

"I don't know," Joey replied. "But his daughter's name is Diana. I could ask her. Are there so many people that have trouble with your family that not even one specific name jumps out at you?"

"No, of course not," Vince replied. "But the problem will be solved in a few minutes because I'm coming to the camp. The bar can manage without me. No one is coming in here anyway."

"No!" Joey replied immediately. "Don't come here, Dad. Please."

"Look," Vince told him. "I know you hate us coddling you and you want to have your independence, but I really don't think being in a pack where the leader hates our family is the best place for you."

"Diana said she'd keep me safe, Dad!" Joey insisted. "I'm fine!"

Vince sighed. "You said this Diana was the alpha's daughter? Does she have the same hatred for our family that her father does?"

"No," Joey replied. "I don't think so."

"If you two can get away," Vince said, "bring her to the bar so I can meet her. I'm doing the night shift and there's no one here, so we should be able to have a nice conversation."

"But what about the psycho lady who tried to kill me?" Joey asked. "I don't want to be around her again!"

"She's not here," Vince assured his son. "They're at Enid's apartment, so you'll be safe."

"All right," Joey sighed. "We'll be there in a few minutes." He got off his cell phone and looked at Diana. She'd tucked a strand of red hair behind her ears and was surveying him thoughtfully. "So what did your dad tell you?"

"Nothing yet," Joey said. "He's working the late shift at Enid's, no one is around, and he wants to meet us there. Will you come with me?"

"Well, if your dad wants to talk to me too, then I _should_ come with you, shouldn't I?" She eyed her father, who was talking with another one of the burly werewolves. "Dad's busy. He won't miss us for awhile." She led Joey into a clearing where a few Jeeps were hidden under the trees. Each one had a key in the ignition. She got in and then helped Joey into the seat beside her.

"Should we really be using this car?" He asked her. "Isn't it considered stealing?"

"No," Diana shrugged. "These cars are for everyone. Whenever someone needs one, they can just take it, as long as they bring it back."

"Oh," Joey nodded. "That's convenient."

"Yeah, I know," Diana winked. "Isn't it?" They drove to the bar, parked, and strolled inside, where it was as empty as Vince had made it out to be and he stood behind the bar, clearly bored.

"Hey," Diana said, approaching him and sitting on a bar stool. "You wouldn't mind making me a vodka and cranberry juice, would you?"

"It depends," Vince told her. "Are you old enough?"

"Oh, come on!" Diana scoffed. She pulled some bills out of the pocket of her pants. "The bar needs the money and I'm willing to pay! And it's not like you'll be arrested for serving me."

"I'll get you plain cranberry juice," Vince told her firmly. "But that's all."

"Tough luck," Joey said sympathetically as he sat beside her. "If it had been my mom who was bartending, she probably would have just given it to you."

"Well, damn," Diana replied, making faces at Vince while his back was turned. "Just my luck."

Vince gave her her juice and looked at Joey. "You want anything?"

"A Coke," Joey replied. "And don't worry, I don't want anything in it."

"Good for you," Vince told him."

After they had their drinks, Joey looked at his father. "So, what's the problem between Diana's family and ours?"

Vince looked at Diana. "Who's your father?"

"Peter," Diana replied, locking eyes with him. "Peter Lucas."

"Oh, fuck," Vince sighed. "Not the Lucases."

"What's wrong with us?" Diana asked. "What did we do?"

"First question," Vince said as he looked back and forth between Diana and Joey. "You two aren't in love or anything like that, are you?"

"Dad!" Joey cried as Diana reddened a little. "We just met!"

"Well, I'm just saying that if you plan to go any farther than being friends, I don't think you should, at least not for now."

"Why not?" Diana asked.

"This is gonna sound incredibly stupid, but...several years ago, my great grandfather, activated his gene by killing an inactive girl from another pack. They'd been dating, they had a fight the night of the full moon, he lost control and he killed her. When her father (the girl was a Lucas) found out that my great-grandfather was the one who killed her, he swore vengeance and things have not exactly been copacetic between our two families since then."

"Wow," Joey said, looking at Diana. "I'm surprised your father didn't kill me."

"Yeah, me too," Vince replied. "Maybe somehow he knew that you were your grandfather's grandson. That would make him at least keep you alive, don't you think?"

"Why would that matter?" Joey asked.

"Have I told you why you've never met my parents?" Vince asked.

"You said they were dead,"Joey replied.

Vince nodded. "The day your mother and I first met, we were just kids, and my father kidnapped Roxie and brought her to our pack's base because he thought she'd be able to tell him something about Enid's sister Vanessa, who had it in for the werewolves. My parents even tortured your mother for information, until finally your mother's parents came to rescue her and just did mine in. Diana's family was probably grateful to Klaus after that."

"Mom's parents killed your parents?" Joey asked. "Why did you still like Mom, then?"

Vince sighed. "I always liked my Uncle Pete better than my parents anyway, and your grandparents were only doing what they had to do to save your mother."

"And his grandfather is...?" Diana asked.

Vince sighed. "Klaus Mikaelson."

Diana gasped. "The hybrid?"

"Yes," Vince nodded. "The Original hybrid."

* * *

><p>"Now, I don't see what I did wrong," Enid yelled at her sister. "I did <em>nothing<em> wrong!"

"If you did nothing wrong, then why is the Talbot boy alive, Enid? You know very well he was born dead!" Hazel shouted back.

"I know that!" Enid replied. "I was there when he was born. But if you could have just seen how upset his parents were...I knew that if I had a way to ease their pain, I had to do it."

"It's unnatural," Hazel replied, her gaze cold. "What's dead should stay dead!"

Just then, there was a knock on the door. "What?" Hazel called angrily. "I'm in the middle of something here!"

"We have the boy!" One of her henchmen called back. "Wanna see him?"

Enid's eyes widened. "You caught Joey already? Don't hurt him. He's been through enough."

But to her surprise, a different boy was brought in. "Who are you?" Enid asked him. "You don't look like Joey."

"I'm not," Sam panted. "I'm Sam. You gave my father some fertility potion and here I am!"

"Oh, Hazel!" Enid scolded her sister. "Honestly? Him too? Poor boy."

"His father is a vampire," Hazel replied bitingly. "A_ made _vampire. Father had all made vampires die as part of their transformation for a reason: so they wouldn't be fertile like the Originals, and the world wouldn't be overrun with vampires. As the creator of werewolves, I would think you'd understand this more than anyone."

"But I'm also someone in charge of fertility," Enid reminded her sister. "Remember what they said of me? That I could get even the most barren woman pregnant. I don't see what's so wrong about my doing my job." She quickly turned to Sam. "And who are your parents?"

"Would you remember them if I told you?" Sam asked.

"Well, I haven't given out potion to that many people, so I would think so...wait!" She said as she looked at him. "Damon Salvatore! Your father is Damon Salvatore."

"Yes," Sam nodded. "Good job!"

"You know, I gave him the potion because Roxie told me he'd be responsible with it and not have his ex-wife Selina be the mother of the baby," Enid told him. "So, what kind of woman did he choose to be your mother?"

"It was Selina, actually," Sam replied. "They got drunk together the day he got the potion and accidentally hooked up after he took it. That's why I grew up mainly with my dad. And why Mom went and had sex with her husband after, which is why I have a twin sister named Lucy who is now sleeping with my dad just because they can. Isn't that dandy?"

"See?" Hazel told Enid. "This is exactly why you can't go around giving fertility potion to everyone who asks for it. Do you even think before you hand it over? Cause if you're not careful, you ruin lives, just like you did with this young man here!"

"Does that mean you won't kill me?" Sam asked, looking in amazement at Hazel. "Cause your goons made it pretty clear on the way over here that that was the plan."

"I'll tell them I've changed my mind," Hazel said crisply. "I'll spare you if you're willing to help me catch someone else. Would you?"

"But Hazel-" Enid began and her sister cut her off. "Be silent!" She said harshly. "If it wasn't for your foolishness, I wouldn't have to do this."

Enid sat down on a chair, a scowl on her face.

"Who do you want me to help you catch?" Sam asked, looking interested.

"He's a boy my sister brought back from the dead when he was a baby," Hazel replied. "He shouldn't be alive and I want him dead."

"Why is it taking you so long to find him if you're so determined?" Enid asked. "I thought you'd find him quickly and be done with it all. Admit it, Hazel. You have sympathy for him. You want to give him a chance to keep his life. That's why you're not working as quickly as you're capable of."

Hazel sighed. "As much as I would love to let the boy go," she said, "It's against the rules to use magic to make what is dead alive again. I didn't make that rule, Father did, and the boy would suffer more cruelly at Father's hands than he would mine. What I'm doing is a mercy."

She looked at Sam. "So will you help me?" She asked.

"Sure," Sam replied. "Just tell me what I have to do. And can I call my parents to tell them I'm gonna be okay?"

"Of course," Hazel replied. "Go right on ahead."

* * *

><p>"Laura!" Selina exclaimed when she opened the door. "Are you here for what I think you're here for?" She'd just gotten the call from Sam, and knowing that he was still alive eased her mind very much.<p>

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "We might as well get it over with." She was holding Edward's hand and gave it a vigorous tug, but he resisted, staying out of Selina's line of vision. "No, thank you," he said. "I think I'll just stay in the car."

"You're partially responsible for this," Laura pointed out. "So you have to help me tell Daddy. It's only fair." Finally, he relented and Selina called Elijah.

"What is it?" He asked. Then he looked at Edward. "Edward! How are you, son?" The moniker made Edward feel ill. "Excuse me," he said. "I have to go to the bathroom."

"I wonder what's the matter with him?" Selina replied. "There's a flu bug going around. He should be careful of it. It's lucky you can't catch anything, Laura."

"Yeah," Laura cleared her throat. "Especially with the baby coming and everything."

Elijah's eyes widened and he sat hard in a chair. "Baby?" He asked, locking eyes with Laura. "What baby?"

"Now, don't get mad, Daddy," Laura told him. "But despite all the protection we used, I'm pregnant. Are you mad?"

"Well, I'm surprised," Elijah said. "But if you used all the protection you could, and it happened anyway, I can't be mad, can I? Of course we _will _have to move up the wedding." He grinned at Laura. "That's not a problem, is it, dear?"

"No," Laura replied and sat down. "Go ahead and send whatever invitations you need to."

"Already done," Elijah told her.

"What?" Laura asked in surprise. "How could you have sent out invitations already? You just want to get rid of me now, don't you?"

"No, of course not!" Elijah replied. "Your mother says I'm too eager, but I promise it has nothing to do with me wanting to get rid of you."

"So what are you gonna do about the invitations?" Laura asked. "You'll have to send out new ones with the earlier date on them."

"Oh, don't worry about that," Elijah replied as he leaned over to give her a hug,

"Don't squeeze too tight," Laura warned him. "I haven't been feeling the best lately."

"I understand," Elijah said, eying Selina. "Trust me, I do."

"So just to clear things up for me," Edward replied, edging toward the group. "No one is mad at me."

"No," Elijah replied. "Things happen, and you're engaged. I would have been more angry if you hadn't already been engaged and were just throwing caution to the wind behind my back, but that's not the case, so I won't hold this against you."

"Oh, thank god," Edward said and collapsed.

"He was waiting for the axe to fall," Laura told her father.

Just then, Selina came in with the mail. "We've actually had a couple of replies for the wedding," she said.

"Oh?" Elijah asked. "Who?"

"Klaus and Amy, and your brother Kol and someone named Margot. I think that's Amy's sister," Selina replied. "I'll make sure to let them know the date is being moved up."

"Good," Elijah said. "You know, dear," he continued to Selina, "you're taking to planning this wedding quite well."

"Well, thank you for noticing," Selina replied. "I don't think I'll ever be as enthusiastic as you, but I like to think I'm doing my best. Speaking of-" She went and got a pad of paper and a pencil. "While you two are here, what do you want to do about cake?" As soon as she asked this, she looked apologetically at Laura. "Can we talk about this?" She asked. "Will you be okay?"

"Yes," Laura replied. "I can talk about food, but being around it is another story." She paused. "I want chocolate cake!" She looked at Edward. "Is that okay?"

"Yes," Edward nodded. "But wouldn't it be a shame to have a food you really like ordered and then not be able to eat it because it'll make you sick?"

"Suggestion!" Selina replied suddenly.

"What?" Elijah asked. "Please share."

"Well," Selina said, "What if we got them married at the courthouse now, and then had another wedding when Laura could, you know, eat and enjoy it, and that would be the one we invited everyone to? Is that okay?"

"A courthouse wedding just feels like a walk of shame, you know?" Laura replied. "One of those hush-hush things that fathers do because they're ashamed their daughters have libidos. I don't want to feel shame! I didn't do anything wrong!"

"All right, sorry," Selina said quickly. "It was just a suggestion so you'd be able to enjoy the wedding more, but if you feel you want to press ahead now, who am I to stop you?"

"So we're decided," Elijah replied, looking at a determined Laura. "We'll move the wedding up, and do every part of it as scheduled.

"You're damn right we will!" Laura said. "Bring it on!" Then the room began to spin and she fainted in Edward's lap.

"I'll go lay her down," Edward said. "If she wants to have this big wedding, she'll need to save all the energy she can."

"I don't know if the decision to do so was gutsy or just really foolish," Selina replied as Edward walked away with Laura.

"Either way," Elijah said, taking her in his arms. "It really shows she's your daughter, doesn't it?"

"Well, thanks," Selina told him. "I think."


	3. A Wedding Surprise

"We get married today!" Edward whispered to Laura as they woke up the day of the wedding. "How are you feeling?"

Laura rolled over to face him. "Better than I have been, I guess, but still not the best. At least I only have one more month until all the nausea and stuff goes away, according to my mother." She sat up and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Do you feel sick?" Edward asked. "Do you need me to get you some crackers or something?"

"No, thanks," Laura shook her head. "I think I just need to sit for a little while."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Come in," Laura called.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Selina asked, coming to sit next to Laura. "I know you want to be brave and not disappoint your father, but we told everyone on the invitation that there was a possibility things could be changed based on how you feel."

"I'm all right, Mom," Laura replied. "Just a little tired."

"All right," Selina said. "If you insist." She left the bedroom and went to find Elijah, who, of course, was already dressed. "How's Laura?" He asked. "Will she make it?"

"She says 'Yes'," Selina nodded. "But part of me just wants to go against her wishes and hold the whole thing off for awhile. I've been pregnant during a wedding before. Hell, I've even given _birth_ during a wedding and it sucks the joy out of everything if that's all you can focus on."

"And I agree," Elijah nodded. "But you know she'll balk if we try and force her to change plans. So we'll just let things go and hope for the best."

"Yeah," Selina put her arms around him. "That's all we can do."

* * *

><p>"Now, are you sure you want to do this?" Selina asked Laura as she, Edward, Laura, and Elijah settled themselves at the venue. "Cause we don't have to."<p>

"I know," Laura said. "You've told me five thousand times and you'll probably tell me a thousand more. But I just_ really_ wanna be married. I don't want to wait anymore."

"Well, that's nice," Edward replied. "I feel really loved."

"By the way," Laura asked her parents. "Who all is coming to this wedding anyway? We know Edward's family won't, so you're mostly filling up the venue with people from our side, right?"

"Yes, I'm afraid," Elijah nodded. "I'm sorry, Edward."

"It's no problem," Edward shrugged it off. "I'm sure you did your best."

"So we have your friends, his friends, some of ours, and whomever Roxie got to come from the bar," Selina summarized. "That should fill the room at least."

Laura sighed and put her hands over her eyes.

"Are you all right?" Edward asked her.

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "I mean, it's too late to wish we would've eloped now, isn't it?"

Edward chuckled. He wanted to hold her in his arms, but he didn't want to wrinkle or otherwise ruin her dress. So he just patted her on the head and tried to assure her that all would be well.

"Thanks," Laura smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "I feel better already. Mentally, anyway. Physically, it's anybody's guess what will happen."

"Think positive thoughts," Selina suggested. "Maybe if you don't think about being sick, you won't be."

"Does that work?" Laura asked. "I mean, if anyone would know, you would."

"I haven't felt it work yet," Selina replied. "But there's a first time for everything, and this could be the day!"

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "Here's hoping."

"All right, everyone!" Roxie's daughter Addie, who was Laura's maid of honor, proclaimed as she strode into the dressing room. "Everyone who isn't me or Laura, get out!" She caught sight of Edward. "And you're not even supposed to be in here looking at her anyway. You wanna ruin everything?"

"Since when do you care about 'everything'?" Edward asked with a grin. "I thought you were opposed to everything about marriage and think all the traditions are stupid."

"I do," Addie nodded. "For myself, I mean. If other people want to go through a bunch of mumbo jumbo for a person who in most cases will probably end up dumping them anyway, that's their prerogative."

"Well, gee," Laura said sarcastically. "Thanks for the happy thoughts. Even _your_ parents got married, Addie. And they don't seem to be on the verge of dumping each other."

"That's because they're mated," Addie replied. "Which is sort of a guarantee, isn't it?"

"Well, except for me and Klaus," Selina replied, causing Elijah to turn around quick. "That ended. And I think Roxie's friend Charlie's parents split up, and _they_ were mated-"

"All right, all right, I get the point, I was wrong," Addie replied irritably. "Let's change the subject." She then pulled some pills out of her pocket. "Here," she said. "Take these. They'll help you get through this thing."

Laura shook her head. "Thanks, but your mom told me a story about the time she was bridesmaid for her best friend Charlie and ended up giving her pills that were meant for her Mom and they made her all woozy so everything was just shot to hell. I think I'll stay away from the pills."

"All right," Addie replied. "But you can't say I didn't offer them to you. I can't believe you're pregnant too. You're just getting everything out of the way at once, aren't you?"

"Apparently," Laura nodded. "But we can handle it."

Addie sighed as she put on Laura's makeup. "That makes you a better person than me," she replied.

It was then that they began to hear voices outside.

"Guests are arriving," Elijah said, poking his head into the dressing room. "Your mother and I will get everyone settled. You just stay here and wait for your cue."

"All right, Daddy!" Laura cried. "Relax! You seem more stressed than I am!"

"Right," Elijah nodded, taking a breath. "Everything will be all right!"

"You think it will be?" Addie asked once Elijah was gone."

"I hope so," Laura replied, taking a breath of her own. "I really do."

* * *

><p>Eventually, everyone was settled at the end of the aisle, and they were all prepared for Laura to show up. The wedding march started, and to everyone's surprise, there was no Laura. The song started three more times and still, she didn't appear.<p>

"Well, this was unexpected," Edward's best man, Robert, whispered to him. "I thought she liked you. Who'd have thunk that she'd run out at a time like this?" All the other guests (the majority of whom didn't know Laura was pregnant) started whispering similar things amongst themselves. Then Selina went up to Addie, and asked, "Did she mention something to you about wanting to delay the wedding?"

"No," Addie shook her head. "I would have killed her if she made me wear this ridiculous green dress and makeup for nothing. I _swear _she was waiting just outside the door when I lined up with everyone else."

Elijah told Selina to find a way to distract the guests while he and Edward looked for Laura.

"I'm sure you have nothing to worry about," Elijah told Edward, a firm hand on his shoulder. They looked and looked until they passed one of the bathrooms and heard someone being sick inside. "Laura?" Edward called. "Is that you?"

There was a flush and Laura said, "Is it time for me to go on? I'm sorry. I felt sick just as everyone else went up the aisle and-" Edward opened the door and went in while Elijah stationed himself outside. "How sick do you feel right now?" He asked.

"I think it would be better for me to stay by the toilet," Laura replied. "Have I ruined everything?"

"No, you haven't," Edward told her. "Your father and I will make everything all right. None of this is your fault."

"Good," Laura said. "Cause I know there are a lot of people out there who want this to happen and I don't want to disappoint them."

"It's not about them," Elijah told Laura. "It's about you! This is your day, and if you want to call things off and do this later, you can do that."

"No," Laura shook her head. "Just let me have a few more minutes," she said. "If I'm not out in a few minutes, you can tell everyone we're postponing until I feel better, but I can make this work!"

"All right," Elijah said skeptically. "If you say so, darling." He and Edward then went back to wait for Laura, with Elijah hoping, despite what he told her, that they'd be able to pull everything off today and there wouldn't be any delays.

* * *

><p>Just when Elijah thought he was gonna have to tell everyone to go home, Laura suddenly came speeding through the door. "Wait!" She cried as everyone turned in surprise. "Daddy, don't say anything! We have a very small window before I feel sick again, so let's take advantage of it, damn it!"<p>

She let Edward pull her behind him like a skier until they reached the front of the room. Then, Laura ordered the officiator to skip all the excess stuff in the vows and get to the important part.

"We'll tell you our vows at the reception, everybody," Edward promised them.

They turned back to the officiator, who looked at Edward. "Do you, Edward Emerson, take Laura Christina Mikaelson to be your wedded wife for as long as you both shall live?"

Edward nodded, squeezing Laura's hand. "I do."

The officiator now looked at Laura. "Do you, Laura Christina Mikaelson, take Edward Emerson to be your lawfully wedded husband for as long as you both shall live?" Laura nodded. "I do."

"If anyone has any objections, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace." Elijah stood up and gave everyone a glare so that no one even moved. "Then, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife," The officiator finished. "You may now-" That's when Laura kissed Edward deeply, and everyone applauded loudly for the happy couple. Then, Laura pulled away, her eyes wide, and ran for the bathroom, fistfuls of skirt in her hand.

"Why go through with the marriage if she's gonna abandon him beforehand or abandon him afterward?" One of the guests asked.

"No one is abandoning anyone," Selina replied. "Relax. She's pregnant, it's in the early stages, and morning sickness is showing up. That's all it is."

This started a whole new bunch of muttering and Elijah frowned at Selina. "I was hoping to announce that part more privately," he told her.

"Oh," Selina nodded. "I see. So it's still something you're ashamed of?"

"No!" Elijah shook his head. "I just feel that it's not something you blurt out. I am _very_ happy we're going to have another grandchild!"

Selina scoffed. "You could've fooled me."

"This is Laura and Edward's day," Elijah said through his teeth. "It's not the time to start a fuss."

"Well, than maybe you shouldn't have started one!" Selina whispered.

"Which fuss did I start?" Elijah replied.

"The fuss about announcing Laura's pregnancy privately!" Selina shot back. "You're making much too big a deal out of it!"

"Are we interrupting something?" Amy asked, causing Selina and Elijah to stop arguing. "If we are, we'll come back."

"No," Selina said, giving her a hug while Elijah shook Klaus' hand. "Thank you for coming. We're glad you could make it in spite of the date change."

"Oh, of course!" Amy replied. "It's nice to have something to do out of the house."

"Can I ask who you got to watch Savannah?" Selina said. "Cause Helene and Roxie are both here and they're her normal babysitters."

"Her ex-fiance is doing it," Klaus replied crisply. "He made the offer and Amy forced me to take him up on it."

Selina's eyes widened. "You mean your ex-fiance who was in jail? Are you sure Savannah will be okay?"

"Oh, yes," Klaus replied sarcastically. "Savannah just _loves_ him. Even more than she loves me!"

"Stop," Amy replied, her eyes closed tight. "Just stop right now. I can't take you anywhere, can I?"

"Maybe you can't," Klaus replied. "Maybe you should have brought precious Jonathan as your date instead and I could have stayed home with Savannah!"

"Well, maybe that would have been best!" Amy snapped and looked apologetically at Selina. "We have to go now," she said. "Give Laura our best, please, and say we're sorry we couldn't stay longer. We'll be at the reception for sure, though."

"All right," Selina nodded. "I will!" She then went in search of her daughter, who she eventually found chatting with guests. "Good to see you're still up and about," she said. "Do you think you'll be able to handle the reception, or that maybe that would be pushing your luck?"

"I don't know," Laura replied. "I feel all right now, but I kind of don't want to push it. What do you think?"

"Well, I think that if you don't wanna go, you shouldn't go," Selina replied. "Now that everyone knows why you'd be bowing out, I'm sure they wouldn't hold it against you."

"All right," Laura said decisively. "I'll go get Edward to take me home in Daddy's car, and ask him to save me a piece of cake."

"Sounds like a plan," Selina told her. "And congratulations, sweetie!"

"Thanks, Mom!" Laura called back. She then found Edward. "Will you take me home? I don't want to tire myself out."

"All right," Edward nodded. "Let's go."

"Thanks, husband," Laura grinned.

Edward put his arm around her. "It's no problem, wife." They started to make their way out the door when two of his groomsmen stopped them.

"Hey," Edward's friend Jack said. "Since Laura isn't feeling well, do you want Toby and me to come with you so we can bring back the car in case you want to stay with her?"

"Sure," Edward told them. "That's a good idea!"

"That's so sweet," Laura said. "But it's really not necessary. At least one of us should enjoy our wedding reception. I can take care of myself."

Edward gave her a look. "Do you honestly think I'm just gonna let this go?" He asked. "I know you can handle yourself, but I'm not really comfortable with leaving you alone."

"Fine," Laura said, first to Edward, then Jack and Toby. "You win. "Let's go."


	4. A Silver Lining

"You know, it's really sweet of you to take care of me like this, Edward," Laura replied as he fussed with her covers. "But really, I'll be all right. You and the boys should go on to the reception, especially while you still can. The weather's looking pretty bad out there."

"Like I told you before, I don't have to go," Edward told her for the thousandth time. "I can stay here with you if the storm will make you nervous."

"You're sweet, but don't be silly, Edward," Laura grinned at him. "I promise I'll be all right by myself and you go accept all the congratulations from people who want to toast us. Then you can come back with the piece of cake you saved me!"

"All right," Edward replied skeptically. "If you're sure." Laura nodded and he reluctantly left her behind. Then he and his groomsmen got in the car and started in the direction of the reception hall. They drove and drove without incident until, when they were very nearly there, a flash of lightning illuminated a deer in the road. Between the darkness and and the rain, Edward didn't have the best visibility. He swerved just in time to avoid hitting the deer, but hit a tree instead, smashing his car to bits and feeling himself black out.

When he came back to consciousness, his first move was to look for his two friends, but to his horror, he discovered that both of them were dead. "Oh, my god," he whispered. "I've done it. I've activated my curse. That and the baby is a _fine_ way to start out my marriage." And even worse: How would he tell Elijah? He shut his eyes and tried to pull himself together. After taking a breath, he pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket and made two calls: one, to the police to tell them about the wreck, and another to Selina to come pick him up and take him where he needed to go.

Eventually, both the police and ambulance came and took the bodies away, then Selina and Edward drove to the reception hall and she led him inside.

"Are you all right?" Selina asked Edward. "Can I get you cake or something? It couldn't have been pleasant to be in that wreck."

Edward nodded. "And you have to promise not to tell Elijah about my two dead friends. I don't know how well he'll respond to the idea that his daughter married a man who's gonna be a werewolf at the next full moon."

"I know, I'm sorry," Selina replied. "And just in time to ruin your wedding, too. Don't worry, I won't tell Elijah, I promise. This'll be our secret. Everything will be okay."

After that, Edward tried to keep calm, especially when Elijah strode up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "There's the married man!" He cried jovially. "How are you feeling, Edward?"

"All right, sir," Edward nodded. "Better than Laura, anyway. She thought it would be best for her to stay home."

Elijah nodded. "I can understand that, but I'll see her later. Now why don't you come along with me and celebrate like we should today?" Edward nodded and followed along, smiling a hollow smile at everyone who gave him their best wishes and just praying that the celebration would be over as soon as possible. He noticed Klaus' wife Amy and her companion, a man he'd never seen before, leave early, and Edward wished he could just follow them out the door.

Finally, just when he thought would burst, the party ended. Edward grabbed Laura the piece of cake she requested, then Selina drove him home. When she returned to her and Elijah's, however, Elijah had questions for her.

"Can you tell me, my dear," he asked, "why Edward left the wedding with two groomsmen and a car and returned to the reception with neither groomsmen nor car? And his face! What in the world happened to his face? I didn't think it would be polite to ask him when he was being celebrated, but since you seem to know, you could tell me."

"I understand you're curious," Selina told him. "But that's not my secret to tell. When Edward finds it in himself to tell you what happened, he will, and not a moment before." She then strode off, leaving Elijah alone with his thoughts. He headed to his and Selina's bedroom to retrieve a box from under the bed. In the box were photo albums of all the children's baby pictures. He found Laura's album, took it to his office, locked the office door, and then sat at his desk, looking over pictures of his first baby girl, and mourning circumstances that led to him not recognizing any of the pictures of her that were taken after age three. That was when his father had imprisoned him as punishment for loving Selina, and the cost to him had been more than his father could ever know. He'd lost six years of his eldest three children's lives, and he'd never get them back. All he had of them now were the pictures.

* * *

><p>"So how was the party?" Laura asked Edward as he trudged wearily back into the apartment. "Did you have fun?"<p>

"No," Edward sighed, plunking down a plate beside her. "I had other things on my mind. And here's your cake. How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Laura replied, looking concerned. "Edward, what's the matter? Has something happened?"

"Well, yes, but I don't want to tell you about it," Edward told her. "It'll just ruin things."

"Edward," Laura said firmly. "If there's a problem, you should tell me so we can work it out together."

"All right," Edward sighed. "But if you miscarry, remember that I didn't want to tell you in the first place."

"Edward," Laura's voice was more worried now. "Just tell me what the hell happened."

"I got in an accident on the way back to the reception!" Edward burst out. "There was thunder, and a deer in the road, and we crashed. Everyone died except me, and now, on the next full moon, I'm gonna turn into a werewolf."

"Oh, Edward!" Laura let out her breath. "That's not so bad! It could be worse! I thought you were talking about something _really_ bad. Not that two of your groomsmen dying isn't bad, but-"

"What could be worse?" Edward asked. "Not only do I have to be stressed out about becoming a new parent, but I have to deal with being a new werewolf as well? Why don't they just set locusts on me or something. Cause really, it's not fair at all."

"I know it's not," Laura said, patting the empty space beside her on the bed. "But we'll deal with it. Come sit by me."

Sighing, Edward went and sat by Laura on the bed. "Want me to get a fork for your cake?" He asked.

"No," Laura shook her head. "Just hand me the plate. It's not a big piece." He handed her the plate and tried to conceal his disgust as she ate it with her fingers, even licking the frosting off them afterward.

"Why don't you use silverware?" He asked. "For heaven's sake, Laura. You're not an animal!"

"Relax!" Laura replied. "It's not like I got crumbs or frosting on the blankets or anything."

Edward sighed and climbed in bed next to her. "You're right, I'm sorry. I guess I'm just a little on edge right now."

"I know," Laura nodded. "But it's our wedding night. That should ease your mind for a few hours, right?"

"Well, are you up to it?" Edward asked. "Don't push yourself to do something you don't feel up for just to please me."

"Trust me," Laura told him. "It's fine. Now come here!" To his surprise, she pulled him to her and kissed him hard.

"Laura!" He whispered in surprise.

"What?" She asked, pulling back in surprise. "You think that just because I'm pregnant, I can't pull off a great wedding night? Now either you undress yourself or I do!"

Still a little shocked, Edward quickly undressed, then watched as Laura slowly undressed for him, praying that she wouldn't suddenly fall ill and spoil the mood. Then, she climbed back in bed beside him and he took her in his arms. "Are you all right?" He asked.

"You don't have to keep asking me that," Laura replied. "I'm fine!" And just to prove it, she reached down and began stroking him. "Oh, god, thank you," he whispered as he lay back on the bed. "Thank you, I _needed_ this."

"I know you did," Laura replied. Then Edward's eyes widened as she leaned down and began sucking on him. Eventually, Edward's breathing became shallow until finally, he felt as if he was gonna explode inside. He let out a yell, and then shut his eyes, feeling sweat run down is forehead.

"Are you all right?" Laura asked.

"Yes," Edward nodded. "Are you?"

"Yep," Laura nodded. "You need to rest a bit before I have my turn?"

"Yes," Edward replied, his eyes wide. "That would be a good thing to do, thank you." So they rested, with Laura gently massaging his ab muscles. "You know," she said, "it's cute the way you're acting as if this is the first time we've done this. Like it's all a big surprise to you."

Edward chuckled a little. "Well, it's not the actions themselves that are surprising to me, but the intensity of them. I felt what you just did much more than I have before." He paused. "Do you think that's a werewolf thing?"

"Possibly," Laura nodded. "Seeing as how you didn't feel this way until _after_ your gene was activated. At least that's _one_ silver lining, right?" She giggled.

"Yeah," Edward nodded. "I guess that's something." After a few minutes, he pulled her to him. "Ready for your turn?" He asked with a look Laura could only describe as wicked.

"Sure!" Laura replied, then gasped in surprise when he didn't stand on ceremony, went straight to business, and filled her again, and again, and again.

* * *

><p>Selina's eyes opened quite suddenly, and she felt around on the mattress beside her. It was empty. Elijah was gone. Sighing, she put on a bathrobe and headed straight to his office. Without knocking, cause she wasn't even sure he was in there, she went inside and found him asleep, his head on Laura's baby photo book, his eyes closed. She smiled to herself and instead of moving anything, or waking him up, she went and pulled a blanket off the sofa bed to put around him before climbing onto the sofa herself and shutting her eyes. She wanted him to have company when he woke up, cause he was clearly going through something that he couldn't handle alone.<p>

The next morning, Elijah woke up and looked down at the open book of photos before running his fingers through his hair and shrugging off the blanket. Frowning, he whispered to himself, "I don't remember wearing a blanket." Then, he swiveled the chair around and smiled as he saw Selina asleep on the sofa, her dark hair splayed out around her face. He got up, strode over to the the sofa, leaned down, and kissed her cheek.

"Good morning," he whispered as her eyes opened.

Then she quickly sat up. "I know I'm not supposed to be in here without permission," she said quickly. "But I woke up last night, found you weren't in bed, went looking for you, and found you in here. Since you had the scrapbook, I thought you'd want company."

"Thank you," Elijah told her as he sat beside her and took her in his arms. "It's just that last night was a hard night. Which is ridiculous, I know, because it's not like Laura's my only daughter."

"She's the only one you didn't get to see grow up entirely," Selina replied. "That's why you're looking at the scrapbooks, right?"

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "Do you think I'm being silly?"

"No, I think you're being very brave," Selina told him. "Considering how you feel, you could have just stopped Laura from getting married at all. But you didn't. You let her go. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you," Elijah replied, as he held her and ran his fingers through her hair. "But no matter how brave I am, it won't get rid of the fact that I still feel empty, despite our four other children. Does that make me a bad father?"

"No," Selina shook her head. "You didn't deliver any of the others in the backseat of your car with your own two hands. That creates a different sort of bond."

"And one that I'll probably spend the rest of my life trying to refill," Elijah said. Then, he started stroking Selina's stomach. "We have two empty rooms now," he said. "So do you think we might-"

"Have more children?" Selina finished. "No, thank you. At least not right now. I've given you six and I want a break. If you want something to take care of, I'll buy you a dog."

* * *

><p>"So what did you two think of Laura and Edward's wedding?" Lenora asked Margaret and Henry.<p>

"Ours was better," Margaret replied. "Well, except for the cake. I liked the cake."

"I think it would have been fun to go," Lenora replied. "It would have given me something more fun to do than listen to James complain."

"My daddy is mad because Astrid let a criminal out," Henry told Margaret. "And he isn't gonna get to bring him back to jail."

At that moment, James came in, muttering angrily to himself. "Still the same problem?" Lenora asked.

"Yes," James replied. "But it's just not fair, is it? I don't know _what_ Astrid was thinking. She's lost her bleeding mind!"

"Language," Lenora told him warningly, cocking her head in Margaret and Henry's direction.

James scoffed. "He's heard everything," he said. "So what does it matter, anyway?"

"Daddy!" Susanna cried as she ran into the room and hugged him. "How the hell are you?"

"See?" Lenora said, standing up. "_That's _why it matters!"

She and James strode off with Susanna, leaving Margaret and Henry alone. "My daddy's sad about Laura being married," she told him. "Mommy wants to get him a dog!"

"Why?" Henry asked.

Margaret shrugged. "I don't know. To make him feel better? I liked being at Laura's wedding with you. It was fun."

"Well, we can do it again soon, if you want," Henry said. "Emily's birthday is coming up and she said we're both invited. You wanna come with me?"

"Okay," Margaret sighed. "As long as I get to be with you, why not?"

"And remember, since it's Emily's birthday, you have to be nice to her," Henry continued.

"All right," Margaret sighed. "I can do that too."

"Good," Henry nodded. "It's a date!"

Just then, they turned in surprise as James strode out, clutching the phone tightly in his hand, Lenora following after him. "What are you so happy about?" She asked. "Who was on the phone?"

"Your grandfather," James grinned. "And he said he might have a way for me to catch Jonathan Putnam red-handed." He kissed Lenora on the cheek. "I have to go," he said. "Don't wait dinner."


	5. A New Animal

"You have to tell him," Laura told Edward. "Otherwise he'll wonder why you're avoiding him all the time."

"But won't your father hate me?" Edward asked. "He'll hate me, I know it."

"He won't hate you," Laura replied. "He might be a little disappointed, but that won't last forever. It's not like when Gregory turned and the whole process was voluntary. With you, it happened because of an accident. It was something you couldn't control. You crashed because you didn't want to kill a deer, for fuck's sake. That ought to count for something. And if you don't tell my dad now, it'll just hang over you until you do, so go tell him. It'll make you feel better."

Edward sighed. "You're right," he said. "Let's go."

They headed over to Elijah and Selina's and Selina let them inside. "Is Elijah here?" Edward asked Selina. "I want to tell him about my accident."

"Elijah!" Selina called. "Edward's here with Laura and he wants to tell you something important."

"Yes, son?" Elijah asked when he finally appeared. "What is it that you want to say to me?"

Edward swallowed and felt Laura squeeze his hand. "I bet you're wondering why I left the wedding in my car with two groomsmen and came to the reception with Selina in her car with no groomsmen."

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "That question had crossed my mind."

"I got into an accident," Edward got out. "I swerved to avoid hitting a deer, crashed into a tree, and both my groomsmen were killed. And that also means that at the next full moon, I'm gonna be a werewolf."

Elijah's jaw dropped. He coughed a few times, and looked like he was about to faint. Then he stood up. "Edward, stay. Laura, may I see you and your mother in my office, please?"

Selina and Laura nodded. "Wasn't Edward brave to tell you what he told you?" Selina asked Elijah as they followed him to his office.

"I can't believe this!" Elijah said, sitting down at his desk. "Of all the potential werewolves to activate their genes, I never thought he would."

"Well, Daddy, it's not like he did it on purpose by going out and murdering someone," Laura tried to tell her father. "He got in an accident and sometimes shit happens."

"I thought of him as a son!" Elijah cried, not listening to the words of his wife and daughter. "Now he's completely betrayed me! We'll have to get annulment papers drawn up as soon as possible."

"What?" Laura asked. "There's no way in hell I'm signing any annulment papers!"

"Yes, you will, young lady," Elijah told her firmly. "I'm your father and you will do as I say. Besides, being among his kind is probably better for Edward anyway."

"Well, what about me?" Selina asked. "I'm a werewolf. Should I go and be among my kind too?"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "Of course not. The two of you can stay!"

"But that doesn't mean we want to," Laura replied. "If you cause any trouble about Edward, I won't come visit again until you change your mind."

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "And I'll get a room at Enid's. Then it'll just be you, the other kids, and whatever pet I decide to buy you. And I know you wouldn't like that."

"You know I dislike being spoken to like that," Elijah told Selina quietly.

"I don't care!" Selina replied. "It's something that needs to be said. Edward is a nice young man and you need to give him a break, just like you do for all of us."

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "And whatever happens, I'm gonna be with him anyway, so think about that before you make your next move."

Elijah shrugged. "Laura, you may do whatever you like, just as long as you remember what happened to your brother when he made a choice that displeased me."

"You mean when you kicked him out?" Laura asked. "Like that's gonna really affect me. Remember, I already don't live with you!"

"I'm aware of that," Elijah replied. "The change will be that you aren't allowed to come back."

"Fine," Laura replied. "I don't care. That's what you said to Gregory at first and you and Mom still invited him to Christmas. And I know I'm gonna see you once the baby is born. That's when you'll cave, and because I feel really bad for you that you can't see past having your own way, I'll be waiting for you when you come to my and Edward's apartment wanting to see your new grandchild. Goodbye, Daddy."

Elijah sighed as she strode out of the room and took Edward home with her. Then he looked at Selina. "Don't say anything," he said.

"I wasn't," Selina replied, putting up her hands. "It's not my place. But I know you'll see the light eventually without me forcing you to do it now."

She then left the office and went to the library to read a book, leaving Elijah to sulk by himself.

* * *

><p>"So what did your father say?" Edward asked as Laura drove home.<p>

Laura sighed. "He told me he wanted to sign anullment papers at first," she said. "Then he calmed down a little and said I could stay with you, but that I'd never be allowed to cross his threshold again."

"That's calming down?" Edward asked, eyebrow raised. "I told you we shouldn't have told him!"

"And I would have supported that if keeping it from my dad wouldn't have had the consequence of freaking you out," Laura replied. "Just be grateful Dad's not forcing us to divorce."

"All right," Edward sighed. "I don't understand, though. How could your father go from calling me 'son' one moment, finding out I'm a werewolf now, and then basically disowning me after that? Does he feel that way about you? Or your mom?"

"Of course not," Laura replied. "We get special privilege because we're family and Daddy has complete confidence that we won't misuse our powers and kill people."

"Well, I won't!" Edward cried. "Doesn't he know how hard this is for me? His anger is just making me feel worse!"

"I know," Laura replied. "That's why we'll stay away from him until the baby is born, then he'll be so desperate to see it that he'll forgive you."

"I hope you're right," Edward replied.

"I know my dad," Laura replied as they part in the apartment parking garage. "Of course I'm right."

* * *

><p>"So," Selina said as she strolled into Elijah's office without permission. "When will you be telling Edward that you like him still in spite of his werewolf gene being active?"<p>

"I've made it clear where I stand," Elijah replied without looking up. "And I have no intention of changing my mind any time soon. I thought that meant you were moving out."

"_Well_," Selina replied. "Maybe I was a bit hasty when I said that."

Elijah looked up with a grin. "How nice," he said. "At least you're being sensible about _one_ thing in all this mess."

"It's only a mess because you're making it one," Selina reminded him. "If you would just keep treating Edward like you did before you found out about his gene, there would be no mess at all. In the end, it's not gonna do anything for you. It'll just cost you your relationship with Laura. And I know, no matter how stubborn you are, losing her is something that'll really hurt you. So don't you think it's worth making peace with her?"

"I will do it on my own time if I decide to do so at all," Elijah said briefly. "Do not push me."

"All right, all right," Selina sighed. "It was just something I wanted you to keep in mind." She sauntered out of the room and went to make a batch of cupcakes for the bakery. Just as she was sticking them in the oven, she felt someone behind her.

"Yes?" She asked, pretty sure she knew who it was. "May I help you?"

"Turn around," Elijah whispered in her ear.

"Oh, come on!" She groaned, doing her best to ignore the tingles that shot through her body when she saw he was wearing nothing but jeans, they were unzipped, and his hair was ruffled. "Can't you go without for just one day? Or do you enjoy forcing me to give up my principles even though you won't budge on yours?"

"Do you really think you could have held off on sex until I consented to make peace with Edward?" Elijah asked.

"I could have if I knew you were actually gonna do it," Selina replied. "I mean, I don't _like_ to skip sex, but I will if there's a good reason."

"Well, lucky for you," Elijah replied, facing her forward and pulling her against his body. "There isn't any good reason for us to skip sex at the moment."

Selina shut her eyes. "Oh, Laura," she whispered. "I'm sorry. Forgive me." Then she let Elijah carry her off to their room, shut the door behind them, and take her against the wall.

"The bed," Selina moaned afterward. "Let's go to the bed!"

Elijah listened to her panting and made note of her red face. "Are you sure you can handle it?" He asked.

"Yes," Selina nodded, her eyes wide. "Just take me, please!"

Elijah took her to bed and they both undressed the rest of the way. This time, Elijah didn't waste much time with foreplay. He pushed into her again and again until they were both worn out and clutching each other, their bodies warm and sweat pouring down their faces.

"Well, that was delightful," Elijah replied as he ran his fingers through Selina's hair.

"Yeah," Selina replied, snuggling against him. "It really was."

He paused. "Are you _certain_ you can't find it in yourself to give me _at least_ one more child?"

"I'll make you a deal," Selina told him. "I'll get you that pet like I promised you, and if you bond with it, then I'll consider us having another child."

"You will?" Elijah asked. "Good! Tomorrow, we'll go to the pet store, and-"

"No," Selina shook her head. "_You_ will not go to the pet store._ I _will go to the pet store and pick out your pet. You'd probably pick one that bonded with you instantly, and that's not the point of this. The point is to show me that you still have it in you to raise a kid after so many years. Cause if we have another one, you'll have to help me with them. I'm not doing it by myself."

"Of course you wouldn't," Elijah replied. "I've helped you with all the other children haven't I?"

"Well, yes," Selina nodded. "But I just wanna have reassurance this time around, okay?"

Elijah sighed. "All right. You go find whatever little animal you can and bring them to me tomorrow, all right?"

"Fine," Selina replied. "I will."

* * *

><p>"And just who is that?" Elijah asked as Selina strode through their front door holding tightly to a black cat with a white face and tummy. "Is that our new pet?"<p>

"Not _'our'_," Selina corrected. "_Your_ new pet. His name is Felix."

"You won't even let me name my own pet?" Elijah asked.

"Well, apparently that was already his name at the pet store and he won't answer to anything else," Selina replied, looking down at the cat. "Come meet your new owner, Felix. This is my husband, Elijah." She tried to hand the cat over to Elijah, but Felix dug his claws into her and refused to be budged.

"Huh," Selina replied. "It looks like he doesn't like you. How interesting."

"Well, you said your goal was not to make this easy on me, and it looks like you've accomplished it," Elijah replied. Eventually, the cat let Selina go and jumped from her arms, landing on the floor before skulking off, presumably to examine his new surroundings.

"Aren't you gonna follow him?" Selina asked.

"Not at the moment," Elijah replied, shaking his head. "Something tells me he'd rather explore on his own. Thank you for choosing such an independent pet for me."

"You're welcome," Selina replied. "I bet you'll be able to tame him. It won't be easy, and it won't happen right away, but I know you'll be able to do it."

* * *

><p>Amidst the debacle about Edward and Elijah's problems adapting to life with Felix, Selina was grateful when someone showed up to distract her from those thoughts.<p>

"Hi, Grandma!" Joey greeted her, strolling through the door with Diana trailing behind him. "We have a question for you. You're a werewolf, right?"

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "What about it?" She'd heard he could go out and about now and wasn't surprised to see him.

"Well, apparently, Diana's family and my dad's have been locked in some big feud," Joey said. "And we want to know more about it, but we don't know who to ask. Do you know anyone who could help us?"

"Well, I have an uncle who could help," Selina replied. "He pretty much knows everything there is to know about werewolves. But something about a werewolf feud seems very familiar to me." She looked at Diana. "What's your name again, sweetie?"

"Diana Lucas," Diana responded.

"Lucas?" Selina blinked. "That sounds so familiar too...why can't I get it in my head?"

"Did you grow up with any Lucases?" Joey asked her.

"She couldn't have," Diana replied. "I mean, I know she's been around for a bit, but our family has lived where we live since the 1830s." Diana looked at Selina. "Wasn't that before your time?"

Suddenly, something clicked in Selina's mind. "Before your family moved to where you live now," she asked Diana, "did you live in a place called Mystic Falls?"

"Yes," Diana nodded. "I think."

Selina chuckled. "Well, let's go see my uncle Jake, then," she said. "I'm sure he'll be glad to meet you, Diana Lucas."

"She spoke your name in an ominous way," Joey whispered to Diana. "I wonder what's up with that."

Selina led the two of them to her car, driving them to a well tended but small blue house with window boxes full of flowers outside. Selina saw there was a car in the driveway and smiled. "Good," she said. "He's home. We didn't waste a trip."

They hurried toward the house with Selina knocking on the door while Selina called, "Uncle Jake? Uncle Jake, are you home?!"

Eventually, the door opened and a young man with a tanned complexion, light brown eyes, and sandy blonde hair opened the door. "Well, well, well," he grinned, eying Selina. "If it isn't the prodigal niece who never comes to visit me except for when she needs something," he teased. "What's it now?"

"This is my grandson Joey, and his friend Diana," Selina replied, introducing them. "They're a Lucas and a Talbot and want to know more about the feud."

"Oh," Jake replied, his gaze going momentarily dark. "All right. If anyone knows about that, it's me. Come in."

Jake led the three of them to the kitchen table and told them to sit down while he got the material from his storerooms to explain it to them. To their surprise, he didn't come back with much.

"Were you expecting volumes and volumes of dusty old books?" Jake asked, light in his eyes again.

"Well, yeah," Joey admitted. "Kind of."

"What do you have there?" Diana added. "It looks old, all of it."

"That's because it is," Jake replied. "They're my journals from when the damn feud started."

"You mean, you were there to see it?" Diana asked in amazement. "Cool!"

"It was _not_ 'cool'," Jake replied sharply. "I regret my involvement in it to this day."

"Why?" Selina asked.

"Because, my dear", Jake told her. "It's what got me killed."

"What?" Selina asked in amazement. "Grandpa Lockwood always made it seem like it was your own stupidity."

"Well, in a way, it was," Jake nodded. "The Lucases and the Talbots lived in Mystic Falls at the time, and Jeremiah Lucas and Andrew Talbot were my best friends. Father disliked the friendship because of how open both men were with their lycanthropy, but when I made it abundantly clear I wouldn't join in, he allowed me to keep my friendships. Then, one full moon just after I turned, Jeremiah's sister was killed by a transformed Andrew Talbot. That's what started the feud. The families went after each other after that, and even some innocent townspeople were killed too. When Jeremiah and Andrew knew they'd be caught, they framed me for the murders _they_ committed and left Mystic Falls for a more secluded area where the feud could continue without interruption.

"And after you were framed?" Selina asked. "What happened?"

"Well, the townsfolk wanted to kill my family too," Jake replied. "Just to keep everyone safe. But my father assured everyone that none of them would transform ever on pain of death, or so your mother told me."

"Do you think that's why everyone refused to talk about our being werewolves when I was growing up?" Selina asked. "And why they viewed it as such a shameful thing?"

"I would think so," Jake replied.

"I'm so sorry," Diana told him. "It was horrible what our ancestors did to you."

"Yeah," Joey replied. "Sacrificing you so they could continue some stupid feud. If you hate both of us, I'd understand."

"Well, I can't hate the Talbots, since they're family," Jake replied, looking at Joey. "And you," he looked at Diana, "seem like a much nicer young lady than Jeremiah was a man. I don't think I'll wish ill will on either of you."

"Well, thanks," Diana said in surprise. "That's really good of you."

Jake shrugged. "What can I say? I like to think of myself as a good man." He then looked at Selina more seriously. "I know you'll hate me for suggesting this," he said. "But go visit your mother, would you? She misses you and wants to see you."

Selina scoffed. "I doubt it."

"Please," Jake replied firmly. "_Visit your mother_. It doesn't have to be for a long time. Even ten minutes would do it."

"All right," Selina sighed. "Come on, kids."

They headed out the door and Joey asked, "Do you hate your mom or something, Grandma?"

"Well, let's just say that my mother and me in the same room make the Lucases and the Talbots look downright friendly," Selina replied. "You get me?"

"Yes," Joey replied, looking a little alarmed. "I definitely get you."


	6. Elijah's Mistakes

"So, how are things going with Felix?" Selina asked. "Good? Or bad?"

"He is the most annoying creature!" Elijah burst out. "He ignores me until the worst possible moment, then he decides to bug me and will not go away!"

"Oh, I'm sure you're exaggerating!" Selina replied.

"Oh, yes?" Elijah asked, eyebrow raised as he pulled her to him. "Come here!" He began kissing her, pushing her body against the kitchen table, unfastening her skirt so that it feel to her ankles along with her panties, and then he unzipped his zipper. Just as he was about to enter her, however, he let out a yell.

"Fuck!" He cried. "Just fuck that little..."

"What?" Selina asked. "What happened?" That's when she noticed the cat standing behind Elijah and that one of Elijah's pants legs was in shreds. "He scratched me!" Elijah cried irritably. "And it really, really hurt!"

"Oh, come here, sweetie," Selina said, putting her arms around her injured husband. He turned her so he was facing the cat and stuck his tongue out at the creature, who stared at him for a few seconds and then plodded away.

"Are you gonna be all right?" Selina asked as Elijah zipped up his pants and she put on her panties and skirt.

Elijah sighed. "I think I need to get out of the house," he said and kissed her. "I'll be back in a bit, so don't worry."

* * *

><p>"What happened to your clothes, brother?" Klaus asked Elijah as the latter strolled through his front door. "You're usually so pristine. Now your clothes are torn and messy."<p>

"It's not my fault!" Elijah cried irritably. "It's the damn cat Selina is making me raise! She says we can't have another child until I bond with that abominable monster!"

"Wait just a minute now," Klaus said, a smirk showing on his lips. "Selina wants you to do something that is clearly causing you pain and frustration and you're complying? Why?"

Elijah frowned. "I really don't know why I should have to tell you something that's not your business," he said. "All I know is, I want a baby and I know you have one."

"You can't just come in here and take my baby," Klaus replied following Elijah toward the living room. "Raise the damn cat and let Selina give you one of your own."

"What's going on?" Amy asked. She was holding Savannah, and Elijah's eyes were locked on the pair of them.

"Elijah wants our baby," Klaus told her. "Cause Selina is making him raise a troublesome cat before she'll let him have another one of his own."

"Oh," Amy replied. "How nice." She turned her attention to Elijah. "You know, Klaus and I need another babysitter for her, seeing as how her last one got in trouble. Would you like to take the position? Or would that lead to problems with Selina?"

"Oh, I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem," Elijah replied as Amy handed him his niece. "But I'll ask."

He stayed at Klaus and Amy's, bonding with Savannah until Klaus thought he was gonna have to kill him, and then he finally made his way toward the door.

"I'll have a talk with Selina about your offer," Elijah told Amy. "But like I said before, she'll probably be okay with it."

"All right," Amy said. "After you talk with her, just let me know what she said, and if the answer is 'Yes', we'll make plans."

Elijah left with a cordial goodbye, and Amy turned to Klaus. "See?" She said. "I told you your brother would be agreeable."

"He wasn't just agreeable," Klaus replied. "I think that if you and I hadn't been around, he would have just walked right out the door with her."

"Oh, you're so silly," Amy replied, giggling.

"No, I'm serious!" Klaus replied. "Were you not paying attention to how much he doted on her the entire time he was here?"

"It was no different than how you spoil her," Amy replied.

"Well, that's different," Klaus replied. "_I'm_ her father, so it's allowed. Elijah's not, so it shouldn't be."

"Was that Uncle Elijah I heard?" Lucy asked, coming down the stairs. "Did he leave already? Damn, I wish he would have stayed so I could have seen him."

"You would have had getting his attention," Klaus told her. "He only had eyes for Savannah today."

"Why?" Lucy asked.

"Cause he's having trouble coping with Laura's marriage, and it's making him want a baby," Klaus told her. "And your mother won't give him one, so he's decided to try and bring in Savannah as a substitute."

"Do you think I should try and talk to him?" Lucy asked. "Cause I will." She paused. "And whenever you want me to leave, just tell me. I don't want to feel like I've overstayed my welcome."

"Lucy," Klaus replied, coming to put his arms around her. "If there's anyone who will not wear out their welcome here, it's you. You're the child of mine that I know the least and I want to improve that. So you can stay as long as you want and get no complaints from me."

"Thanks, Daddy," Lucy grinned. "You don't think I'm being petty about this Sam thing, do you?"

"Maybe," Klaus replied. "But that doesn't mean anything. As I said, stay if you want, I don't care how long."

"All right," Lucy nodded. "I just wanted to make sure."

* * *

><p>When Elijah returned home, a spitting, hissing Felix met him at the door. "Yes, yes," Elijah said to the cat. "Lovely to see you too."<p>

"Hey!" Selina grinned. "How was your little outing? Feel any better?"

"Yes, actually," Elijah replied. "I do. I went to visit Niklaus and Amy, and Amy told me that she needed a new babysitter for Savannah. Apparently, something happened to their other one, but she didn't go into much detail. I told her that, pending a discussion with you, I would be willing to watch her. So what do you think?"

"I think you're being very sneaky," Selina told him. "But if Amy needs a babysitter for Savannah, and you want to do it, I'm okay with it, but please, sweetie: promise me you won't get so involved with Savannah that you forget about the four other children you have already. Cause if you do, I think it'll be a sorry situation for all of us."

"All right," Elijah nodded. "I won't let myself get carried away, I promise."

"Good," Selina replied. "Thank you."

He called Amy later that night and gave her the good news.

"Would the day after tomorrow be an okay day to start?" Amy asked him. "Will you be less likely to be busy since it's the weekend?"

"Right," Elijah nodded. "The day after tomorrow will be perfect. I'll see you and Savannah then. Goodbye, Amy. Have a good night."

"You too, Elijah," Amy answered. "And thank you so much. You're really a life saver."

* * *

><p>While Elijah thought babysitting Savannah would be agreeable for everyone, apparently, that wasn't so. He spent every moment with the baby, to the point where Margaret began to feel neglected. She sat in her bedroom that Saturday afternoon waiting for Elijah to come to their usual tea party, but he didn't come. Finally, she got up from her chair and walked around to look for him. Eventually, she found him in the living room.<p>

"You're missing our tea party, Daddy," she said.

"I'll come in a bit, darling," he told her without looking up. "Right now, I'm playing with Savannah. When I put her down for her nap, then we can have our tea party."

"Fine," Margaret said, her lip jutting out. She kept the table the way it was, but once Savannah had been put in her bed, Margaret went to visit her.

"You're a bad baby," Margaret whispered over the crib. "A bad, _bad _baby!" She kept on saying that sort of thing until Savannah let out a cry and what seemed to be fire shot from her eyes, burning the opposite wall, and singing Margaret's skirt. The older girl stood in shocked silence for a few minutes before bursting into tears and running for her father, who had already stationed himself in her room and was waiting for her to come for the tea party.

"My god!" Elijah cried, standing up when he saw her, skirt singed and tears running down her cheeks. She ran into his arms. "Margaret, darling, what happened?"

"The baby shot fire out of her eyeballs!" Margaret replied. "My dress got burned! It was scary!"

"It's all right," Elijah replied, holding her close. "Amy warned me something like that might happen, and that if it did, she would fix any damage that occurred when she comes to pick Savannah up."

"So she'll fix my dress?" Margaret asked.

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "Go change it, and Amy will fix it later."

"All right," Margaret nodded. She went into her closet, put on a new dress, then came back and asked Elijah to zip it up for her, which he did gladly. Then Margaret sat down to her pretend tea.

"How come taking care of Savannah is more important than being on time for our tea party?" Margaret asked her father after a few minutes of silence.

"Well," Elijah replied, "Savannah is a baby, and babies need a lot of attention, whereas you are a big girl and are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself."

"Yes I can, but it doesn't mean that I should all the time!" Margaret replied. "I'm your daughter and sometimes you have to pay attention to _me!"_

"I _am_ paying attention to you!" Elijah replied. "We're here having our tea party."

"But you were late for it!" Margaret replied. "I bet you only came because I told you."

"Now that's not true!" Elijah replied. "I planned on coming all along. I just had to take care of Savannah first."

Now, Margaret narrowed her eyes. "You could have asked Mommy to do it," she said. "Then you would have been on time." Then, she stormed out just as Selina came to her bedroom door and was about to knock on the doorframe.

"What was that about?" Selina asked Elijah as she watched their daughter leave. "Oh, wait, I bet I don't even have to ask. I warned you about this, didn't I?"

"Yes, well, Margaret has to see that people can't always cater to her whims, and I think this is a wonderful time for her to learn that lesson." Then he strode off, leaving Selina's jaw slack and an incredulous look on her face.

* * *

><p>And Elijah's examples of A-plus parenting in the presence of Savannah didn't stop there. About an hour before Amy was to come and pick Savannah up, Annaliese called from boarding school to tell her parents about an award she'd just won.<p>

"That's great, sweetie!" Selina told her. "I'm so proud of you! And it really seems like you've acclimated well to the school. How is your second semester going so far?"

"Great!" Annaliese replied.

"Any problems with any of your classmates or other people at school?" Selina asked, trying to glean if Peter was still an issue for her.

"Nope!" Annaliese answered. "It's all good. Can I talk to Daddy now and tell him my good news?"

"Sure," Selina nodded. "I'll go get him." She took the phone and went to Savannah's room where Elijah was playing with her and knocked on the doorframe. "Phone call for you," she said.

"I'm busy," Elijah replied. "Can it wait?"

"No," Selina replied. "I really think you should take it."

"Here," Elijah sighed. "Give me the phone."

Selina felt a surge of hope as Elijah took the phone from her, but then her heart sank as, without even saying 'Hello', Elijah said, "Call me back. I'm busy at the moment and cannot be disturbed." Then, he turned off the phone and handed it to her. "You can take it back now," he said.

"I don't believe you!" Selina cried, stomping her foot. "You didn't even know who was calling and you just hung up on them!"

"Well, whomever it was, I'm sure what they had to say can wait," Elijah replied.

"No," Selina shook her head. "It couldn't. Cause that was Annaliese, calling to tell you about an award she's won at school and how her semester is going. She really couldn't wait to hear how proud you were of her and all you did was hang up without even taking the time to spare a few words for your daughter. You should be ashamed of yourself!" Then she turned around, and stalked away, slamming the door closed and causing Savannah to cry. Elijah tried to calm her, while at the same time wondering what he was gonna tell Annaliese to excuse his behavior when he called her back to ask about her award.

* * *

><p>That night, after Jessica had fallen asleep, Annaliese crept to the window and climbed out of it, walking to Peter's hideout and sneaking inside. She had just gotten in when she felt someone grab her. "What are you doing here?" They asked. "We don't take kindly to intruders!"<p>

"It's me," she whispered. "Annaliese! Remember, Peter brought me here!"

Just then, a candle was lit, illuminating the faces of both Annaliese and her captor. "Well, well," he said with a smirk. "You're lucky. You wouldn't have liked to go through what intruders do when they come by here."

"Just take me to Peter," Annaliese replied coldly. "I want to see him."

The boy led her to the main room of the building where Peter held court. "Well, well," he said, standing up and grinning as Annaliese was brought in."Look who finally decided to grace us with her presence. It's been a long time."

"Yeah," Annaliese grumbled. "So long that your_ goon_ here attacked me!" She pushed the boy away and strode closer to his leader. "So what will we do tonight?" She asked. "I wanna cause a lot of trouble."

"Oh, really?" Peter grinned. "What's suddenly brought this on?"

"Well, everyone is here because their parents rejected them, right?" Annaliese asked.

"Yes," Peter nodded. "And is that what's happened to you?"

"Yeah," Annaliese nodded, trying to hold in her tears so Peter and the boys wouldn't see her cry. "I called home tonight to tell my Daddy about an awared I won, and he just...didn't even say 'Hi'. He said he was too busy and didn't want to talk to me at all! Then he hung up without saying 'goodbye'."

Peter opened his mouth and Annaliese said quickly, "I know what you're gonna say, and I can't kill him."

Peter sighed. "I'll try to think of something else, then. You can stay here, though. Your father might not care about you, but we do. If we can't get your mother, you're good enough."

"All right," Annaliese nodded. "Thank you. It's nice to know _someone_ cares."


	7. Visible Restraint

"Just a minute!," Elijah said as he saw Selina pull his things out of their room. "Where are you going with my things?"

"To the spare room," Selina replied. "Since you seem to like Savannah more than the rest of us, I didn't think it would bother you too much."

Elijah started to follow her, muttering pleas without meeting her eyes. "Oh, stop!" Selina replied. "If you expect me to come near you after how you behaved, you're sorely mistaken." She paused. "Or do you even realize that you've done something horrid? It's bad enough that it was your idea to send Annaliese to that stupid boarding school, but now you're gonna ignore her when she calls to tell about her success too? I knew that once you started watching Savannah, the rest of the children would fall by the wayside. I didn't have three single babies and a set of triplets just so you could ignore them!"

"I-I know," Elijah got out. "And I intend to call Annaliese and apologize as soon as possible."

"Good," Selina nodded. "You better."

Elijah sighed and went to sit on the bed in the spare room. To his surprise, Felix climbed up on the mattress beside him. "At least I have company," Elijah observed to the cat. "Even if it_ is _just you."

He sulked in his room for a bit, then heard knocking on his bedroom door. He perked up when Selina came in, holding the phone. "I want you to call Annaliese now," she said. "And I'm gonna sit here and watch you to make sure you do it."

Elijah took the phone from her as Felix bounded across his lap and into Selina's. She scratched him behind the ears as they both stared at Elijah while he dialed, their expressions full of judgment.

"Saydell Academy," said a voice. "Who are you calling for?"

"Annaliese Mikaelson," Elijah said immediately.

"All right," the voice replied. "I'll put you through to her room."

A few seconds later, Annaliese answered. "Hello?"

"Annaliese, it's your father," Elijah began.

"Oh, goody," Annaliese replied, her voice flat. "Look who wants to talk to me now."

"I'm calling to apologize about that," he told her. "I'm sorry. I was busy when you last called."

"So busy you couldn't talk to me?" Annaliese asked. "But I won an award!"

"I know, darling," Elijah replied. "Your mother told me. How about you tell me about it now?"

"Why did you call?" Annaliese asked suspiciously. "Cause you wanted to, or because Mommy made you?"

"Well, your mother was the one who brought me the phone, but I promise I really do want to hear what you were going to tell me before," Elijah replied.

"Mommy made you call me," Annaliese told him with certainty. "And she'll be mad at you if you don't tell me anything."

"Maybe," Elijah replied.

"All right then," Annaliese replied. "Goodbye, Daddy!" She hung up and the line went dead. "Annaliese?" Elijah asked as he pulled the phone away from his ear. "Annaliese, don't you hang up on me! Damn!" He handed Selina the phone. "She hung up on me!"

"And this surprises you?" Selina asked. "I figured she would. Her emotions are still raw."

"If you knew that, why did you have me call her now?" Elijah replied irritably.

"So you could see the effect of what you did," Selina replied. "I thought it would be good for you."

Elijah's eyes narrowed and he felt his muscles tense. "Get out," he told her. "If you just came in here to cause trouble, I want you to leave!"

"Fine," Selina replied. "Whatever. Have fun by yourself." She left, taking Felix with her. After that, Elijah threw one of his shoes at the door and punched a hole in the wall, but neither helped his anger, both at himself, and at Selina.

Eventually, the smell of brownies wafted into his room. Elijah sniffed and stood up, waiting for when Selina would come in with a plateful for him. When she didn't come after half an hour, he got up and went to the kitchen himself.

"I knew there were brownies here!" He cried. "I could smell them from my room!"

"Yes," Selina replied. "There are brownies. If you want some, cut a few out of the pan. No one is stopping you."

Elijah's jaw dropped. "You want me to get them directly out of the _pan_?" He asked, shock naked in his voice.

"Well, yeah," Selina replied. "How else did you expect to get them?"

"You bring them to me," Elijah replied. "And you even put 'I love you' in chocolate syrup next to them on the plate! I don't want this common brownie display! I want my special one!"

Selina scoffed. "I assume you know how to do that," she said. "Do it yourself, because I'm not. But don't eat too many so you're too full for dinner."

Elijah paused, a brownie halfway up to his mouth. "You're still planning to let me have dinner?"

"Well, yeah," Selina nodded. "I may be pissed off, but I'm not the guy who ran Oliver Twist's orphanage."

Elijah smirked, ate the brownie he held, filled a plate with three more, and then went back to his room with Felix following behind him. He sat down on the bed, ate the brownies, put the empty plate on the bedside table, and tucked himself in for a nap until dinner. Once his eyes were closed, he felt himself falling into a lovely dream...

_He found himself getting out of bed to wander toward his and Selina's bathroom. He sneaked into the room and amazingly, no one tried to stop him. He saw that the bathroom door was closed, the sound of splashing and Selina singing clearly audible from outside. Curious, he opened the bathroom door and was met with a squeak from the tub. Then, Selina saw it was him and relaxed, sitting back up from the bubbles. "Hey," She said. "I'm just about to get out."_

_"Oh, don't you rush," Elijah told her. "I didn't come in here because I needed to use the bath too."_

_"Oh, all right," Selina nodded. Then, she scrubbed her legs with a loofah, extending them in the air one after the other. Elijah couldn't look away. Then, she pulled the plug and and stood up, her bubble-covered body fully revealed to him. "Wanna get me a towel?" She asked._

_"What?" Elijah blinked. "What did you say? I apologize. I was distracted."_

_"Good," Selina replied, a grin curving her lips. "I guess I'm doing my job right then. I asked if you'd get me a towel."_

_"Of course," Elijah replied and grabbed one of her fluffy light pink ones from the towel holder, unfolded it, and held it out to her._

_"Thank you," she grinned and stepped into it as he wrapped it around her. When she was covered, she came and put her arms around him. "Glad to see you're not in your suit," she said, noticing his neat outfit of chinos and a green shirt. "This looks very handsome too." She put her arms around him and kissed him. He was surprised, but as she kissed his neck, he unfastened the towel and saw it fall to her feet. She pulled away from him and grinned. "Well, someone is naughty," she replied, giggling. Then, she unzipped his pants. "There," she said. "You can carry me to bed now."_

_Elijah picked her up and carried her to the bed, setting her down and climbing in after her. "You know," she said, sitting up and crawling to face him. "I forgive you about Annaliese. You said you were sorry, you meant it, and you won't do anything like that again, right?"_

_"Yes," Elijah shut his eyes as she blew in his ear. "Yes, definitely I won't." She began planting little kisses on his neck and face. Suddenly, everything shatterered as he opened his eyes and realized it was Felix licking his face and hair and that Selina was nowhere in sight._

"Damn you, you stupid animal," he groaned, patting down the part of his hair that was covered with cat slobber. "I was having such a good dream. Why did you have to go and ruin it?" Then, he heard a knock on the door. "Elijah?" Selina yelled. "Dinner is ready, if you want some."

"Thank you," he called back, leaving the room. He went to the dining room where the three children who lived at home were already seated.

Selina brought out the hamburgers and began passing around toppings. Elijah ate silently and let the others talk.

"Don't forget that Emily's birthday is coming up!" Tristan reminded his mother before he took a bite.

"I won't," Selina replied. Then she looked at Margaret. "I know Tristan is going, and that you're invited too. Do you want to go?"

"Yes, I do!" Margaret replied. "And in the car, I'm gonna sit right next to Henry."

* * *

><p>"I have a question," Margaret asked Henry as Selina drove them and Tristan to Emily's birthday party. "When you were a baby, did you shoot fire out of your eyes?"<p>

"No," Henry shook his head. "But my sister did! She almost burned the boat down!" He paused. "Why?"

"Cause my daddy is babysitting my cousin and one time, I was in her room and she shot fire out of her eyes, and I wondered if that was normal for witches," Margaret replied.

"Usually that happens if the baby is upset," Henry replied. "What happened before the fire?"

"I was yelling at her because she stole my daddy," Margaret replied.

"Oh," Henry nodded. "I'm sorry." He paused. "Would this be a bad time to remind you to be nice to Emily?"

Margaret sighed. "I know I have to," she said. "I promise I'll be nice."

"Good," Henry nodded. "Cause I really think you'd like her if you got to know her."

"Yeah," Tristan nodded. "She's a nice girl."

"I've never thought she wasn't nice," Margaret said. "She is, I guess."

"Don't let me forget to take the cake out of the trunk," Selina told them as they pulled up to the zoo where Emily's party was being held.

"All right," Henry replied. "Don't forget the cake, Grandma."

Selina grinned and patted him on the head before taking the cake out of the trunk. "Thank you very much, Henry." She took the cake out of the trunk and Henry carried Emily's present from him and Tristan carried his and Margaret's present. They made their way to the party building where Emily's father met them at the door and took the cake from Selina's arms. "Thank you so much for doing this," he told her. He was a man of medium height with a sun weathered face, thinning light brown hair, and dark brown eyes. "Emily's gonna love it."

"Oh, it's no problem," Selina replied. "Really. And I brought three more of the guests with me, too." Just then, Emily saw them and ran up to hug both Henry and Tristan. "Thanks for coming!" She told them. Then, she smiled at Margaret, whom she _didn't_ hug. "I'm glad you came too," she said.

"No problem," Margaret replied, trying to smile after witnessing Henry being hugged. "It was my pleasure." She snatched Emily's present away from Tristam and presented it to her. "This is for you," she said. "I picked it out myself."

"Well, thank you," Emily replied.

"There aren't very many people here," Margaret replied, looking around. Aside from her, Henry, and her brother, only three or four more kids had been invited. "Do you not have a lot of friends?"

"No," Emily shook her head. "I'm shy. My mommy used to throw me parties when I was younger. But she died. She got sick. I think I will sometimes, but Daddy says I'm being silly."

"All right," Henry said after a few minutes to break the uncomfortable mood. "Who wants to go look at animals?"

"Good idea!" Emily replied. "I'll go tell Daddy so he can come with us." She went and got her father who, after putting the cake in a safe place, took all the kids out to roam around the zoo. Fun was had by everyone, except for Margaret getting chased by a rogue peacock. Henry managed to zap it away when no one was looking, and then led her back to the group. "That thing was worse than a dragon!" She said, looking shell-shocked.

"Everything okay?" Emily's father asked.

"Yeah," Tristan told him. "Margaret was just being chased by a peacock!" Then he started to chuckle.

"Why is that funny?" Emily asked him and then went to put her hand on Margaret's shoulder. "Are you all right?" She asked.

"Yes, thank you," Margaret nodded. "I'm fine."

They looked at the animals a little while longer, then went to eat cake and open presents.

"It's a picture album," Margaret said when Emily opened her and Tristan's present. "You can put the pictures of your mommy in there."

Emily looked at her, her eyes beginning to water. "Can I hug you?" She asked, on the verge of tears. She was thankful for all her presents, but that was her favorite one. Then they ate cake, and after that, parents came to start picking kids up.

"Thanks again for coming," Emily told Margaret. "I'm glad you did."

"You're welcome," Margaret nodded. "I'm glad I came too. Happy birthday."

* * *

><p>As Selina drove them home, Margaret asked Henry, "Did you notice how good I was?"<p>

"Yes, I did," Henry nodded. "That was probably your best birthday present to Emily. I think she liked it too."

"So, anything interesting happen?" Selina asked.

"I almost got killed by a bird!" Margaret said.

"It wasn't gonna kill you," Henry replied. "I wouldn't have let it."

"Awww!" Margaret grinned and hugged him while Tristan rolled his eyes. "How long until we get home?" He asked his mother.

"Not very long," Selina grinned. "I promise, Tristan."

* * *

><p>"Do you think that if we visited your father now, he'd hate me less?" Edward asked. "Now that he's had time to calm down, I mean?"<p>

"Maybe," Laura replied, stroking Edward's back. "But I don't think we should risk it. I know he'll want to see the baby when it comes. That's when he'll miraculously find it in himself to forgive you. Until then, let's let him stew in his own juices until _he_ comes to _us_. Pushing him won't do any good."

She paused. "How are you?" She asked. "Are you okay?"

Edward sighed. "You mean, am I okay even though my first full moon as a werewolf is coming up?"

"Yes," Laura replied. "That's exactly what I meant."

"I don't think I'll ever be completely fine, but I have the process set up. Enid's got a cellar for wolves that don't want to go out and about after they turn. I'll go there and come back after everything is over. And don't you follow me," he said. "I know you want to help, but you being near me when I turn will just make me worry."

"All right," Laura nodded. "I understand. I'll wait for you in the bar, I promise."

"Good," Edward nodded. "I know you like to deal with these things head on, but I don't want to see you or the baby be hurt."

"Me either," Laura agreed. "That's why I'm staying put just this once."

"Thank you," Edward replied. "That eases my mind a little."

* * *

><p>It was Edward who drove himself and Laura to Enid's the late afternoon of the full moon. "All right," he said once they were inside. "I'm gonna go down to the cellar. You stay up here."<p>

"Edward?" Roxie asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard this was a safe place to turn," Edward told her. "Is that right?"

"Well, yes," Roxie nodded. "But...are you saying that you're coming to transform?"

"Yeah," Edward replied. "It's my first time this evening."

"Is it?" Roxie asked with a smile and rang a small bell by the bar. "All right, everyone!" She announced. "We got ourselves a first-time transformation here!"

The bar burst into applause and Edward stumbled over to a bar stool. "Why is everyone so happy?" He asked. "This isn't a good thing! It's not something to celebrate!"

"Are you with Laura?" Edward turned, facing two young men, one of whom was very tall and reminded him of Elijah.

"Yes, I am," he said. "You remind me of someone..."

"My brother," Laura told him, coming up beside him. "And he won't bother you." She looked at the young man next to him. "And neither will Adrian."

"We weren't gonna do any _bothering_," Gregory assured his sister. "We just wanted to talk."

"Yeah," Adrian told Laura. "That's all. We promise."

"Well, all right," Laura told her cousin/half-brother. "But I'll be watching you!" She strode back to her table and sat down, watching the pair keenly.

"I'm Gregory," Gregory introduced himself. "And this is Adrian. So, what are you gonna do tonight once you turn?"

"I was thinking of doing that in the cellar," Edward replied. "It was one big accident that made me turn and I don't want to hurt anyone."

"But there's no shame in letting yourself run free," Adrian told him. "Humans are prey. When you have hamburgers, do you feel sorry for the cow?"

"Well, no," Edward replied. "But..."

"It's the same thing with werewolves and people," Adrian said. "You're an animal. No one will blame you, if that's what you're worried about."

"No, it's not," Edward replied. "I think I'll stay in the cellar."

"Well, all right," Adrian replied. "If that's what you want."

"It is," Edward nodded. After that, the pair lost interest in him, ordered two beers, and went to drink them at a corner table.

"You know, I feel sorry for that guy," Gregory told Adrian. "My father has_ clearly _gotten to him. I admire him for being able to keep up the 'good son' act, though."

"So that guy is your replacement?" Adrian chuckled. "And I thought_ you_ were straitlaced. I don't get what your sister sees in him."

"Something, obviously," Gregory replied. "Remember, Mother said at their wedding that she was pregnant."

"Oh, how scandalous," Adrian replied. "I bet that made your dad happy."

"Just about as happy as hearing that his gene was activated, I bet," Gregory replied. "He flipped his lid when I became active. I bet he took it worse with this guy, since he wanted him to marry Laura so bad. I kind of feel sorry for the guy."

"We should take him out sometime," Adrian suggested. "Maybe get him to loosen up a little."

"What a good suggestion," Gregory replied. They toasted with their beer bottles and went to drinking them. When it was about time for the moon to rise, Enid came out. "All right, everyone! you know how the program works: those who want to go to the cellar, go and get yourselves chained up. There are plenty of bottles of wolfsbane water if you want extra restraint. And anyone who wants to go outside, knock yourselves out!"

The werewolves divided themselves accordingly, leaving Laura alone in the bar. "What should I do?" She asked Enid. "Edward told me to stay here, but I didn't realize I'd be the only inactive one around."

"You're not," Vince replied, coming to sit at her table with her. "Well, technically I _am_ active, but I'm a _made_ hybrid thanks to your uncle and that means I can turn at will. Naturally, I've always chosen not to."

Laura sighed. "I wish Edward could have that same choice," she said. "He really wasn't cut out for this. Between his first transformation and the baby we have coming, he's been under a lot of stress lately."

"I'm sorry," Vince replied. "You know, I wasn't with Roxie when she first turned, but the first night we turned together, I'll never forget that."

"Really?" Laura asked. "How old were you?"

"I can't remember," Vince shrugged. "Five or six, I think." He chuckled. "We both woke up naked in the grass and she was _horrified._" They talked on until they heard a growl coming up from the basement.

"What's that?" Laura asked, standing up. "Is that Edward?"

"It could be," Vince told her. "He's not the only one down there, though."

"I know he told me I had to stay here," she said. "But hearing that...it sounded like someone was in pain! I have to go down to see him!"

"All right," Vince sighed and ran his fingers through his dark hair. "I'll go down with you, but you have to promise you'll stay by me, all right?"

Laura nodded and the pair of them headed downstairs. The basement was full of transformed wolves, all chained and growling.

"Oh, my god!" Laura whispered. They passed by one of the chained animals, who immediately began straining and snapping at Laura.

"This one's probably Edward," Vince said, standing in front of her protectively. He then turned, just in case he had to fight the other wolf. But as Laura got closer, the wolf began to relax. Whimpering, he got down on his stomach as Laura patted his head. "I know you told me not to come down here," she whispered. "But I had to. "And besides that, I know you'd never hurt me." The wolf sneezed and put his large head in her lap. Realizing everything was gonna be okay, Vince turned back, and while Laura averted her gaze, he looked around for his clothes before dressing and heading upstairs to wait for Roxie.

Laura stayed with Edward until he turned back. "I'm so mad at you," he said, relief in his voice. "I told you to stay upstairs!"

"And I had every intention of listening to you," Laura replied, holding onto his clothes. "But aren't you glad I came down here instead?"

"You're damn lucky you didn't get hurt," Edward replied, reaching. "Give me my clothes."

"Stand up first," Laura replied with a grin. "I wanna get a good look at you."

Rolling his eyes, Edward stood up in all his glory facing Laura. "Damn, you're _hot,_" she whispered to him. She threw him his clothes, he dressed, a light flush creeping over his cheeks, and then he and Laura said goodbye to Enid, and left the bar to go home to bed.


	8. Underneath Your Clothes

"Sorry I had to leave you alone last night," Diana told Joey. "With the full moon and all, I had stuff to do."

"I understand," Joey replied. Just then, Diana's father came up to him. "We didn't see you with us last night," he said. "Where did you run off to?"

"He stayed by the tent," Diana told her father. "He's-he's not active yet."

Her father let out a loud guffaw. "Seriously?" He asked. "You're what, sixteen, and you haven't even turned yet?"

"No, sir," Joey replied. "I didn't think it was necessary."

Diana's father's eyes widened. "Not necessary?" He asked. "You're a werewolf, boy! What did you think you were supposed to do with your life?"

"Don't be too hard on him, Daddy," Diana replied. "He probably has his reasons for not wanting to turn."

"Whatever you say," her father replied and left.

"Wow," Diana told Joey. "That went better than I expected."

"I don't mean to sound ungrateful," Joey told her. "But I kind of wish I was back with Uncle Jake."

"You know, I kind of do too," Diana told him. "When do you want to leave?"

Joey's eyes widened. "You mean we can actually go? Won't that upset your dad?"

Diana shrugged. "he doesn't pay attention to me, except for when he feels like I've done something wrong. We won't be missed, I swear. Now let's go get our stuff."

"All right," Joey replied. He seemed all right with it, but just to make sure, Diana led him to her father.

"Daddy!" She cried.

"What?" He asked. But he wasn't looking at them and Joey could tell he was only half listening. "Joey and me are gonna take the car and go visit someone for a bit, okay?"

He nodded his head and Diana grabbed Joey's hand, practically dragging him to a car. She grabbed the key that was attached to the door handle with a piece of leater cord, and after they were both settled in the car, they drove off.

"Do you even _remember_ the way to Uncle Jake's?" Joey asked Diana.

"Of course I do," Diana reassured him. "I have a marvelous sense of direction."

To Joey's surprise, she wasn't lying and soon they were parked in front of Jake's house. Diana jimmied the lock and they got inside.

"Uncle Jake!" Joey called. "Uncle Jake, are you home?!" There was no answer, so they had to start looking around for him. It took awhile, but finally, they found a door with noise issuing from behind it. Diana pulled it open and a woman let out a shriek.

"For god's sake!" Jake cried, covering up the woman who was in bed with him. "Don't you kids know how to knock?"

"Sorry," Joey replied. "We just wondered where you were."

"Is your mother with you?" Jake asked him. "Or your grandmother?"

"No, we're here by ourselves," Joey replied. "We wanted to talk to you."

Jake sighed. "All right," he said. "Just a minute. Avert your eyes." They did and he got out of bed to go put clothes on in the bathroom.

"So, who are you two?" Asked his date, pale woman with curly dark hair.

"His mom is related to Jake," Diana told her.

"Really?" The woman asked. "I'm Sherry. I've never met any of his family before."

Jake came out a few minutes later and looked at Sherry apologetically. "Would you mind if we continued this later?"

"Since it's a family matter, no problem," Sherry replied. "I understand." Jake took the pair to the kitchen while she dressed.

"So, is that a werewolf woman?" Diana asked. "Or is she human or what?"

"She's certainly not a werewolf," Jake shuddered. "I gave up on them a long time ago. A little too crazy for me."

"That's what my dad says about my mom," Diana replied. "And since she tried to kill me when I was a baby, I don't really blame him."

"Why would your mom try to kill you?" Joey asked.

"Cause she feared my bond with my father," Diana replied. "But you're a guy, so you wouldn't understand. It only happens with girls."

"But I have a sister and Mom never tried to kill her either," Joey answered.

"Well, then I guess you're just insanely lucky," Diana replied. She pulled some chewing gum out of her pocket and stuck it in her mouth.

"She's human," Jake said. "The first decent date I've had in awhile," Jake replied. "But enough about me. What do you two want?"

"We wondered if we could live with you," Diana blurted out. "Someone is after Joey, and my Dad's not too keen to have him around, so I figure here is as good a place as any to hide out."

"Who's after you?" Jake asked Joey.

"Well, I _thought_ Enid's sister Hazel was," Joey replied. "She saw me one time and tried to kill me, probably because Aunt Enid brought me back from the dead when I was a baby. But nothing's happened in awhile, so maybe she's lost interest."

"Hazel?" Jake asked. "Lost interest in you? I wouldn't bet on it. She probably is coming up with a more subtle way to catch you. You're right. Stay here. I think that would be best."

"But what about your lady friend?" Diana asked. "Aren't you worried we'll be a disturbance?"

"Well, do you _plan_ to be?" Jake asked.

"No," Diana replied quickly. "I was just wondering."

"All right, good," Jake replied. "Get your things and unpack. As far as we know, you're gonna be here awhile."

* * *

><p>"You made it through your first werewolf transformation," Laura told Edward. "I'm so proud of you!"<p>

"I still can't believe you came down to the basement after I specifically told you not to," Edward scolded, brushing off her praise. "You could have been hurt!"

"Well, did you notice that I didn't come down alone?" Laura replied. "_That _would have gotten me hurt. I came down with Vince and he protected me!"

"Well, what if Vince hadn't been there?" Edward asked. "Would you still have come down? You probably would have!"

Suddenly, Laura burst into tears. "Why are you yelling at me?" She sobbed. "I just wanted to help!"

Edward sighed and put his arms around her. "I know you did," he said. "And I'm very grateful that I have such a caring wife. But the thought of you and the baby being hurt scares me to death. Can you understand that?"

Laura nodded. "I can, I guess," she sniffled.

"Now, are you feeling all right?" He asked her. "Can I get you anything?"

"No, I think I'll just sleep," Laura told him. "I'm tired."

"All right," Edward nodded and ruffled her hair. "Sweet dreams, Laura."

* * *

><p>"I'm<em> hungry<em>," Laura said as she plodded into the kitchen a few hours later.

"All right," Edward replied. "Can I make you something? And don't forget to do your homework for school tomorrow."

"Or I could feed myself and _you_ could do my homework," Laura suggested. "That sounds fair."

Edward sighed. "You know how I feel about that sort of thing," he said. "However, since I _am_ partly responsible for what's going on with you, I guess it would not hurt me _one time_ to at least do your math homework."

"Well, thank you!" Laura replied in surprise. "I honestly didn't think that would work."

"Maybe being a werewolf has opened up a crazy part of myself that I was previously unaware of," Edward replied.

"So you're seriously gonna do my math homework?" Laura asked as she rooted around in the refrigerator.

"Yes," Edward replied. "I'm seriously going to do your math homework.

"Well, remember not to put all the right answers, even if you know them," Laura reminded him. "If you do, it'll be a definite give away that someone other than me did it."

"You're carrying a child," Edward told her. "I think that deserves an 'A', don't you?"

Laura's jaw dropped further. "Not that I'm not grateful for the help, but who are you, and what have you done with Edward?"

He chuckled. "Just don't tell anybody."

"All right," Laura nodded. "I won't. I swear."

* * *

><p>The next day at school, their social studies teacher brought out a carton of eggs. "All right, everyone," she said. "We're about to start a project where everyone pairs up and pretends to be parents to an egg for two weeks. It will show you the joys and tribulations of being parents. Now, I'm gonna pair you up-yes, Edward?"<p>

"Can Laura and I be a pair?" He asked. "Since we're already married and all?"

"Sure," their teacher nodded. "Why not?" She then paired up the rest of the class and handed them their eggs. "Remember, this egg is going to be like your child," the teacher reminded them. "You'll have to watch it every second of the day."

"Why is that, Miss Pritchard?" One of the girls asked. "I have a life, you know. It's not fair!"

A smattering of agreement met this statement.

"Well, no one said parenting is easy," Miss Pritchard replied with a twinkle in her eye. "It takes a lot of hard work and if you want to get a good grade on this project, Miss Andrews, I expect a lot from you."

While the rest of the class grumbled, Laura smiled at Edward. "Well, isn't this timely?"

"Yes," Edward nodded. "It'll be good practice. What do you think we should name it?"

"You wanna name it?" Laura asked in surprise. "It's an egg!"

"No, it's not," Edward corrected. "It's our baby. So, we have to give it a name."

"I don't know," Laura shrugged. "You pick."

"Charles," Edward said immediately. "After my grandfather, the only decent member of my family."

"All right," Laura nodded. Then, she got a marker out of her purse and drew eyes, a nose, and a smile on him. "There," she said. "Now that he has a face, he at least looks more like a person." She peered at 'him'. "Welcome to the family, baby Charles."

* * *

><p>"Well, hello there!" Elijah told Selina, striding into the kitchen in his jeans. Selina looked up at him briefly and then went back to scrubbing the dishes. "What do you want?"<p>

"Nothing," Elijah replied, pulling her to him. "I just want to...chat."

"What are you doing?" Selina asked. "You know I'm mad at you right now!"

"Oh, I'm very aware," Elijah replied. "But don't think I haven't noticed how you've been dressing. Wearing those tight sweaters and tiny skirts on purpose just to get me worked up, even though you have no intention of helping the situation."

"I'm not gonna change the way I dress just to make you less uncomfortable," Selina replied. "And if you thought I would, you're an idiot."

He took her hand and ran it over his bare chest. He smirked as he heard her heartbeat quicken.

"Don't." She began.

"Don't what?" He asked and spun her around.

"Don't do this," Selina replied. "I know what you're doing and it's not fair. You can't just sex your way out of things after doing something wrong."

"Am I doing that?" Elijah asked, shock on his face. "Shame on me! I'm a naughty boy!" He kissed her. "What do you say you come into my office and give me a spanking?"

Selina wiped his kiss off her mouth. "I don't want to spank you," she said. "I want to throttle you with all my might!"

He pulled her closer, his hand cupping her bottom. "Good luck trying," he told her, his breath on her lips. Then he kissed her once more before striding away.

Selina watched him go with narrowed eyes. She was breathing hard and trying to slow it. She shook her head and turned back to the dishes, finishing the last of them and putting it away.

"What does _he_ know?" She muttered. "I'm capable of avoiding him if I want to. I have self control." Grinning to herself, she then went back to her room and dressed in one of her Miss Stinson outfits, poured herself a glass of wine, and sat down on the sofa giggling to herself. She figured that Elijah was probably waiting for her. But he'd wait forever cause she wasn't gonna come.

* * *

><p>A few days later, it was Colin's sixteenth birthday. "Don't forget we have to go take my driver's test after school so I can get my license, Mom." He finished his birthday pancakes and put the plate in the sink.<p>

"I know, sweetie," Selina told him. "Don't worry. I'll be around to take you. And I assume you'll want to go out tonight too and have your cake tomorrow?"

"Yes," Colin nodded. "Me and Valerie are gonna meet up with some people, so that would be a good plan." He paused. "Are you upset?"

"No!" Selina shook her head. "It's your birthday. You do whatever you want."

"All right," he nodded and kissed her cheek. "Thank you." Just then, they heard a honk outside. "That'll be Valerie," he said. "She said she'd drive me today, so you don't need to."

"All right," Selina nodded. "Happy birthday, sweetie. Have a good day."

He left, leaving Tristan and Margaret as the only ones home. "All right, you two," Selina said. "Go get dressed. We're gonna leave in a little bit."

Margaret and Tristan bolted up the stairs, and Selina cleaned up the table. "I'm gonna go to my office now," Elijah told her. "If you care, that is."

"Don't wait up for me," Selina replied. "I'm busy. And I'm gonna go to the bakery after I drop Tristan, Henry, and Margaret off at school, so you'll be by yourself until tonight."

Elijah growled and stalked off as Selina finished washing the dishes, then she heard the ring of the doorbell that signaled Henry's arrival. That made her run to the foot of the stairs and call up to her two children. "Henry's here! Let's go!"

Soon after that, both Tristan and Margaret appeared, crowding each other down the stairs. "Careful," Selina warned them. "I don't want either of you to fall and get hurt."

They both slowed down after that, and Selina went to open the door to let Henry in. "Morning, Grandma," he said to her. This greeting caused both of Selina's children to eye him strangely, even though they'd heard him say the same thing ever since he started going to school with them. When it was time for them to go, Margaret was the only one who called 'goodbye' to her father. even though she figured that he probably wouldn't hear her.

* * *

><p>"You look like you've had a tough morning," one of Selina's workers, Alicia, told her as she came in and hung up her coat.<p>

"Is it that obvious?" Selina groaned. "My husband and I are sort of not talking right now. Well, actually, I'm the one who's keeping the argument going. He wants to make up." She went into the kitchen and began cracking eggs into a bowl.

"So why don't you?" Alicia asked, pulling back her long blonde hair.

"Because I don't want him to win!" Selina replied. "If I end the fight, if I give in, then he wins, and I hate that! He started this when he ignored our daughter who was calling from boarding school and I am _not_ gonna reward him for that by backing down first!"

"If you love him, though, and he loves you," Alicia replied, "why does it matter who ends the fight first as long as someone does?"

Selina sighed. "I guess you're right," she said. "And it's usually me who ends the fights anyway, so this won't be any different."

"Well, there you go," Alicia told her. "It's something to think about, anyway."

Selina spent the rest of the day working the cash register and watching as an unusually high number of affectionate couples came in and out of the bakery.

Finally, as she stood with her elbow balanced on the counter and her head in her hand, something perked the day up.

"Hello," Elijah said. "Could I have a coffee and a cupcake, please?"

"Sure!" She said, bolting up and reaching in the bakery case. "Vanilla? Or chocolate?"

Elijah shrugged. "You pick. I don't care."

Selina nodded and got a chocolate cupcake and a white cupcake out of the bakery case and took them to the table. Then, Elijah took a ten dollar bill out of his pocket. "Here," he said. "And keep the change. I don't, however, need two cupcakes."

"I know," Selina replied. "The other one is for me. I'm gonna come and join you after I get your coffee." She grinned and put the ten in her pocket, then went to make his coffee and bring it back to him. "So," she said. "What have you been doing with yourself all day?"

"Nothing," Elijah sighed. "Just puttering around. Father called, but I didn't answer it."

"Well, good!" Selina replied. "You'll probably have to face his vengeance later, but good!"

"And I went to visit Gregory. He, Katerina, and Elizabeth seem to be doing well." Elijah peeled the paper off the cup cake and took a small bite. "He says he'll come by whenever we're actually celebrating Colin's birthday. We just have to tell him when it is."

"Well, I'll be sure to do that," Selina replied. "And thanks for stopping by. It seems like every couple in town has gravitated toward here today and I was starting to get bummed."

"You're welcome," Elijah replied. Then, to her surprise, he leaned forward and gave her a brief peck on the lips.

"Well," she grinned. "Thank you. And-and I'm sorry for the childish way I've been behaving lately. I was mad for what you did to Annaliese, but prolonging it doesn't really get us anywhere. It certainly doesn't make_ me_ feel better."

"It's the same for me," Elijah replied, watching with a grin on his face as she ate her cupcake, and not in the most ladylike manner, either. "It probably wouldn't hurt you to take smaller bites," he said, picking up a napkin and wiping the crumbs and frosting off her face.

"I don't care about being ladylike," Selina told Elijah. "I put up with hearing about that from my mother, but I'm done with it now."

"I wasn't concerned about you being ladylike," Elijah replied. "Clearly, that would be useless. I just don't want you to choke."

"Oh," Selina nodded as she swallowed. "Sorry."

After Elijah finished his cupcake, he gave her one more kiss listened to her reminder about picking up the kids from school because she would be with Colin, and headed out. Selina felt warmth flowing through her entire body and attacked the rest of the day with renewed vigor, and felt she'd done a full day's work when she closed up shop around four to take Colin to his driver's test.

"Are you nervous?" She asked him.

"No," Colin shook his head. "I'm ready. And I also think I'm gonna ask Valerie out tonight and see what she says."

"Good choice," Selina nodded. "Good luck, and I hope she says 'Yes'."

Much to Selina's pleasure, Colin passed his test with flying colors, and she even let him drive home.

"How did it go?" Elijah asked as they came through the door. "By the smile on your face, Colin, I'm guessing it went well?"

"Yep!" Colin nodded, whipping his placeholder license out of his wallet. "This is just the first one, to show that I passed," he said. "I get my real license in two weeks."

"Wonderful!" Elijah replied, and to his son's surprise, gave Colin a hug. "So," he said after he let go. "I assume you want to put that license of yours to good use and go out with your friends?"

"Yes," Colin nodded. "I do." Just then, there was a knock at the door. Colin went to open it and there was Valerie. "So, did you get your license?" She asked.

"I did," Colin nodded. "What do you say we go celebrate my accomplishment?"

"Sure!" Valerie nodded. "I guess my homework can wait." She pushed her dark hair out of her brown eyes, cast a look at Elijah and Selina, and after a quick "Hello, Mr. Mikaelson and Mrs. Mikaelson," she followed Colin out the door.

"A nice girl that Valerie," Elijah observed. "I think I might mention to Colin that he should ask her out."

"He's way ahead of you," Selina replied. "He told me he was gonna do it tonight. I hope she says 'Yes'."

Elijah nodded. "Me too."

All the kids had something to do that night so Selina and Elijah were left by themselves. They had a quiet dinner for two, and then Elijah went to neaten up the bedroom while Selina did the dishes. She'd changed out of her work clothes into a more comfortable outfit of a light pink t-shirt under a navy blue zip up hooded jacket (which she wore without a bra), her hair pulled back from her face, bare feet, and her most worn pair of jeans, which had a hole in the left knee. She sang "I Feel Pretty" as she scrubbed them, and when they were all dry, she turned on the radio to a pop channel. She finished drying the dishes just as Elijah came up behind her and put his hands around her waist. "The room is ready when you are," he whispered right next to her ear.

"Is it?" She asked with a grin, rubbing against him. "Good to know. And you should know I'm not wearing a bra to save time."

"Interesting," Elijah replied, one of his hands slipping under her shirt to check. "You're right."

"I just figured that I'm not at work and no one is home but you and me, so why should I subject my breasts to boob jail if I don't have to?" She grinned, feeling Elijah's hands move down her body, unbutton and unzip her jeans.

"Just a minute," she said, leading him by his tie. "I have an idea. Let's go to our room." He let her to the bedroom and lock the door, then she slipped a CD into her player, turning it on. A mellow song flowed into the room, and Selina slowly began to remove her clothes. "Underneath your clothes, there's an endless story. There's the man I chose, there's my territory, and all the things I deserve for being such a good girl, honey..."

"What in the world is this song?" Elijah found it in himself to ask as she stripped.

"Shakira," she replied, pulling her hair out of the ponytail and shaking it around. "It's called 'Underneath Your Clothes'."

"It would be," Elijah replied as he began stripping himself.

"Don't make fun," Selina replied, coming to help him. "I always thought it fit us." After he was undressed, he pulled her to him, kissing her soundly, his hands firmly on her waist as they swayed to the music. Then, they went up her sides and over her breasts. He then picked her up and took her to the bed, tickling her just so he could hear her laugh.

"Okay, okay!" She cried, trying to get her breath from laughing. "Enough of that already! I can't breathe!"

"All right," Elijah replied with a grin and kissed her. "Sorry."

"Yeah," Selina nodded, reaching up to ruffle his hair more. "Sure you are." But she was smiling and kissed him back. Then she looked up into his eyes. "I love you, Elijah," she whispered. "And I really hate it when we fight."

"I know," Elijah nodded. "Me too. I didn't mean for what happened to get so out of hand. And I really _do_ love our kids. I promise."

"I know you do," Selina nodded. "And I also understand why what happened happened. I know that letting Laura go is hard for you. I'd have to be an idiot not to see it. But just remember that even though she's gone, she and Edward have a little one coming, and if you play your cards right, some time, in the future, we could have another one of our own. Who knows? But personally, I think we should just stick with sex for now."

"You know what?" Elijah replied, slowly sliding into her as he held her close and she let out a moan of pleasure. "I completely agree."


	9. A Whole Lot Of Awkward

Selina was sitting on the sofa with her legs across Elijah's lap when the doorbell rang.

"Just a minute," Selina called, carefully moving her legs and going to answer the door. She opened it to find Gregory and Elizabeth on the other side. "Hi there, you!" She said. "What brings you here?"

"I just wanted to see if you two were all right," Gregory replied.

"I might have mentioned our difficulties to him," Elijah told Selina.

"Oh," Selina nodded. "Well, we're better now. We made up. So how are things with you and...your wife?" She asked as she took Elizabeth from him and brought her to Elijah. "Here is a baby you may play with," she told him.

"Things with Katherine and me are all right," he said. "I actually found a donor to fund the shelter, so we're expanding."

"Well, that's delightful," Selina replied.

All of a sudden, Felix came padding into the room. "Who's that?" Gregory asked.

"Your father's cat," Selina told him. "He wants to have another kid cause he misses Laura, but Felix is where we're starting."

Gregory's jaw dropped a little. "You're having another kid? Isn't six kids, including a set of triplets, enough?"

"Not once you've all grown and gone," Elijah told him. "Then the house will be empty." He looked sad, even as he held Elizabeth.

"You know, Father," Gregory cleared his throat. "If you need something to distract you from your thoughts, you could always come and spend time with Adrian and me. We have fun."

Elijah scoffed. "If your fun with Adrian is anything like the ridiculous stuff Niklaus and I used to do, I think I'll pass. But thank you. And I'm glad you're bonding with your cousin."

"Cousin/brother," Selina corrected.

Elijah sighed. "I knew that," he told her. "It was implied.

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "Sure it was."

Elijah just sighed and began walking around the room with Elizabeth, who seemed content to just stay snuggled against him.

"So, why a cat?" Gregory asked his mother. "Any special reason?"

"No," Selina shook her head. "I just went to the store to look for an animal, and Felix stood out more than any of the others, so I bought him. Apparently, he's been there awhile cause everyone was passing him by. I don't get that. He seems nice enough."

"Are you certain you're talking about the same Felix that lives in this house?" Elijah asked her. "Because I don't think you are."

"Well, he's nice to _me_," Selina replied. "I can say that much and have it be true."

"How's Katerina?" Elijah asked Gregory. "Why didn't she come with you?"

"Well, she still feels a little awkward coming over here," Gregory confessed.

"Is it because of me?" Selina asked. "Cause I really _have_ been working harder on being nicer to her even though she's responsible for a lot of the tragedy in my life."

"And I'm grateful for that," Gregory replied. "And to the two of you for supporting my relationship with her in the first place, even though it's probably not an ideal situation for either of you."

"You're welcome," Selina replied while Elijah said nothing.

"Did you handle the last full moon all right?" Selina asked

"Yeah," Gregory nodded. "Adrian and I went over to Enid's with everyone else and that's how I made it through the night."

"Did you chain yourself up?" Elijah asked.

"No," Gregory shook his head. "I didn't. I went out with several other people."

Elijah sighed and Selina gave him a look. "Whatever works for you," she told Gregory.

He looked back and forth between his parents and then stood up. "You know what?" He asked. "I have to go to the bathroom. I'll be back in a few minutes."

He left and then Selina removed Elizabeth from Elijah's lap before punching Elijah on the shoulder.

"What was that about?" Elijah asked her.

"What's your problem?" Selina asked him. "First, you chew Edward out for a werewolf transformation that was not his fault, and now I see you're _still_ doing it to Gregory! What's going on?"

"You know I don't like it," Elijah told her. "Remember, I told you what werewolves did to my younger brother."

"Yeah, I know," Selina nodded. "But it wasn't Edward, Gregory, or anyone else in our family who killed him. You don't have to like the fact that they turned, but since they're family, you could at least drop the attitude, you know? If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all, and let Gregory and Edward live their lives as they see fit! How many times do we have to go over this?"

Elijah nodded. "You're right, okay? I'm sorry."

Selina shook her head. "Don't apologize to _me_! Apologize to Gregory and Edward!"

But he didn't want to do that, at least not while Selina was looking. Instead, he just picked up Elizabeth, and when Gregory got back from the bathroom with Felix following behind him, changed the subject to something less volatile.

* * *

><p>"What's the matter with you?" Laura asked, coming into the kitchen at two in the morning to find Edward sitting up with their egg. "Come back to bed."<p>

"I can't," Edward replied. "This is the only way to stop the nightmares!"

"What nightmares?" Laura asked. "Don't tell me the egg baby is giving you nightmares! Remember, it's not a person. This is just pretend."

"I had the most horrible dream that we had a whole carton worth of egg babies, then they got abducted and the kidnappers started sending us muffins in the mail!" Edward looked traumatized and stroked the egg. "So many muffins."

"I think you need to have a glass of warm milk and go to bed," Laura told him, gently taking the egg away. "That's what_ I _came down here for."

"Oh, no, darling," Edward told her. "Don't bother. You don't have to do anything for me."

"Well, if you're dreaming that eggs are being abducted and turned into muffins then clearly I do," Laura replied, plunking the glass of warm milk down in front of him. "Now, I demand you drink up, put the egg down, and go back to bed!"

"All right," Edward sighed and drank his milk, then let Laura lead him back to their room. "If you say so."

"I don't just say so," Laura replied. "I insist."

* * *

><p>"You look tired," Addie told Laura as she brought a drink order in. "Do you want me to take your table for you?"<p>

"Thanks, but no," Laura replied, yawning. "I'm good. Edward was just up all night last night with the stupid egg baby we have to do for school."

"Just tell the teacher you're expecting a real one and I'm sure she'll let you off," Addie replied. "Maybe she'll even give you an 'A' without you even having to do anything."

Laura scoffed. "She'd probably just make us work harder," she said. "And Edward's making himself sick over it already. His nightmare was that we had lots of egg babies and someone abducted them, turned them into muffins, and sent him the muffins in the mail. I know it sounds silly, but he looked terrified."

"He would," Addison nodded. "He's a jittery guy."

"But a cute one," Laura grinned fondly.

"Maybe," Addie replied and peered at a table where two dark haired guys sat talking to each other. "But I prefer guys like them. Leather and everything." She grinned. "Lucky for me they're at my table. Second day on the job and I get guys like that." She sashayed toward the table and leaned over it seductively while she took the pair's order.

"What's going on?" Roxie asked as she came out. "Addie hitting on customers already?"

"Yeah," Laura nodded, pointing. "She's got her eye on that pair of guys over there."

Roxie noticed them and began laughing. "That's_ not_ gonna happen," she said.

"Why?" Laura asked. "What's wrong with them?"

"Nothing," Roxie replied. "Except that one is her half-brother and the other is dating my sister. Meet Damon Salvatore and his son, Sam. Damon was Mom's first love back when she was a human, and my pregnancy scare with Vince Damon and Mom to have sex again after he took some of Enid's potion. Sam came along after that."

"Wow!" Laura said, eyes wide. "It'll piss Addie off to find that out." Just then, Addie came back, handing Sam and Damon's drink order to her mother. "I got a number from them too!" Addie said. "My work is done for the day."

"If you go out with Sam, no sex!" Roxie told her daughter.

"Why not?" Addie whined. "Come on, Mom. Don't be such a prude!"

"Sam's my half brother, which would make him some sort of uncle to you or something," Roxie told her. "That's why you can't be having sex with him."

"Well, that's just not fair," Addie replied.

"Don't blame me," Roxie replied. "Blame the fact that my mom is ripe as a mango and not afraid to be fruitful and multiply."

"Oh, well," Addie sighed after a moment. "I guess I'll go out with him anyway, even if there can't be sex involved. And even though I _could_ go after Damon, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to upset Aunt Lucy, would it?"

"No," Roxie shook her head. "Don't start trouble where there doesn't need to be any. As much as I like to see my sister act out, I don't want it to be on my daughter, especially since your brother's gone off on his own."

"He called me," Addie replied. "Told me he and his friend Diana had gone to stay with Uncle Jake, who apparently has a girlfriend now."

"Uncle Jake has a _girlfriend_?" Roxie replied in amazement. "Good for him. I never would have thought!"

"I know," Addie nodded. "Especially since Joey and Diana walked in on them on accident and that's how they found out."

"So your brother is with Uncle Jake now," Roxie said. "I hope he'll be all right and that it wasn't a stupid choice for him to make."

"Well, I guess we'll know in a bit, won't we?" Addie asked. "If we get a message from him saying that Hazel is trying to kill him again, then it means it's a stupid choice."

"You're not helping," Roxie told her.

"So Joey's okay for the moment?" Laura asked. "Good. I was worried too."

"Well, thanks," Roxie replied.

"You're welcome," Laura said and went to take an order from a table of hers that had just filled up.

Meanwhile, Sam stared at the number that he held in his fist. "Pretty girl, don't you think, Dad?" He asked Damon.

"Yeah," Damon nodded. "But I'd be careful if I were you."

Sam chuckled. "Do you honestly think I'll let myself get hurt? Or that any woman can hurt me at all?"

"No," Damon shook his head. "But think about this job you have to do, following Joey to make sure you get out of him what Hazel wants. Do you really think she'll want you being distracted from that by following a girl?"

"Oh, I don't know," Sam replied. "But with all I'm doing for her, the least she could do is let me have a little fun."

A few minutes later, Roxie came to the table with their drinks. "You aren't the one who took our order," Sam told her.

"Yes, well, the one who took your order is my daughter," she told him. "And based on certain things. I don't want her to get more ideas about you in her head than she already has." She set the drinks down in front of them and then gave Damon a smile. "Hey," she told him. "It's been too long. You should come and visit me some time. I've missed you." She patted him on the shoulder and walked away.

"Good job, Dad!" Sam said. "I got the daughter's number and you scored with her mom. Did the two of you used to go out or something? And what did she mean by 'based on certain things, I don't want her to get more ideas about you than she already has'?"

"Okay, you know your mom?" Damon asked.

"Yes," Sam nodded. "Of course."

"Well, that girl whose number you got is your mom's granddaughter by another marriage," Damon replied. "Sorry to break it to you."

"No!" Sam shook his head, his eyes closed tight. "Not fair! She's so hot! But hey, you still have a chance with her mom, right?"

"No," Damon sighed. "I raised her mom at one point. I've seen things about her mom that would make us dating very awkward. And don't forget that I'm already with Lucy."

"Oh, I haven't forgotten," Sam replied. "But it's not like you're married, or anything. What's the harm in trying out other options?"

"Nice try," Damon told him. "But it's not gonna happen. And you should have better things to do than bitch about my love life."

Sam sighed. He just couldn't catch a break today.

Just then, Addie came over again. "I heard from my mom that we can't actually date, but...you still wanna have a friendly dinner sometime?"

"Sure," Sam grinned. "I promise it won't be _too_ friendly, though."

"Great!" Addie replied. "What about tomorrow night? Are you free?"

"Sure," Sam nodded. "Tomorrow night sounds great."

"All right," Addie replied. "See you then!"


	10. I Feel Pretty

"Now, what's going on, Sam?" Stefan asked him. "Why'd you call Felicity and me here?"

"I want you both to meet a friend of mine is all," Sam replied.

"And by 'friend' you mean conquest, right?" Felicity asked. "What's the point in introducing us to someone you're just gonna dump once you've gone to bed with her?"

"I can't go to bed with her," Sam replied. "Apparently, she's related to me and it's not allowed."

"What's her name?" Felicity asked. "I probably know her."

"Addison," Sam replied.

"Yep," Felicity nodded. "I do know her. We used to hang out together at the bar a lot."

"Well, that's good," Sam replied. "It means I won't have to do a lot of introductions."

"And why is it that you want to bring her here?" Stefan asked, gesturing around the boarding house. "I thought you were staying with your dad."

"I thought it would be less intrusive to hang out here," Sam replied. "Unless the two of you wanted to stay in and, you know, have sex or something."

"We can do that anywhere," Felicity replied. "If you wanna have Addie here, it's fine."

"All right," Sam nodded. "I'll bring her here tonight."

"Great," Stefan replied. "Can't wait!"

* * *

><p>"So this is where you live?" Addie asked as Sam brought her into the boarding house.<p>

"Yeah," Sam replied. "Sorry if it's a bit messy. My dad is the one that cleans everything up, but he's not here."

"That's okay," Addie assured him. "I like a place with a 'lived in' look."

"Good," Sam nodded. "Great. And I promise I won't show you my bedroom."

"What?" Addie asked. "I wasn't even worried about that."

"Good!" Sam replied, feeling like an idiot. "Cause you shouldn't need to be."

Just then, Felicity and Stefan approached them. "Hi," Stefan replied. "I'm Sam's uncle. You must be Addison."

"Yeah," she nodded, taking it. "But you can call me Addie." Then she smiled at Felicity. "It's nice to see you again, Lissy. You need to come back to the bar sometime. We've missed you."

"You know, I really _should_ do that," Felicity replied. "Anything interesting going on there?"

"Well, Grandpa and Amy won the karaoke contest," Addie replied. "Laura's pregnant, if you didn't hear, and Enid is acting weird, you know? Like a school girl who has a crush. I asked her what was going on and she just kind of blushed and said that a friend of hers she hardly ever gets to see is coming to visit."

"Huh," Felicity replied. "Enid with a date. I didn't even know she did that!"

"Well, apparently she does, with someone," Addie shrugged. "Now I really wanna know who!"

"Oh, just be patient," Felicity told her. "She's your 'aunt', and she tells you everything!"

"You're right," Addie nodded. "If I just wait, I'll find out who she's prettying herself up for, no doubt." Then, she sighed and looked over at Sam. "All right," she said. "Enough of that. What's in the cards now?"

"Dinner!" Stefan replied. "I've already made something up."

"All right," Sam nodded, gesturing for Addie to go ahead of him. "Let's eat."

But dinner was slow and awkward without a lot of conversation. Finally, Addie led Sam away from the table.

"You know," she said, "if you wanted to show me your room, I really wouldn't mind."

"No, I-I really don't think that's a good idea," Sam told her.

"Why not?" Addie asked. "Cause I'm not gonna get mad at you or anything."

"But see, the thing is that I'm attracted to you," Sam blurted out. "And you know what our parents told us: that we can't act on our feelings because of being related."

"Who says anything's gonna happen?" Addie asked. "It doesn't have to. Besides, would you rather be doing stuff with me, or making awkward conversation with Felicity and your uncle?"

"Well, since you put it _that_ way," Sam grinned and started toward her, then pulled back. "Maybe this whole thing with you and me wasn't such a good idea after all. I mean, you're a pretty girl, but I don't think I can do this. It's not fair to either of us."

"Oh, come on!" Addie cried and put her arms around his neck. "It's not so bad!" She blew in his ear and he felt himself bringing his arms up around her and sliding them down towards her butt before he blinked and pushed her back onto his bed. "No!" He cried. "I can't, this is wrong, and I think I should take you home."

"Really?" Addie asked. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am," Sam replied firmly. "Get in the car."

"Fine," Addie sighed, running her tongue across her lips. "But I really think you're missing out on something here."

"I know," Sam sighed sadly. "But that's how it has to be." He grabbed his keys, and for the first time that he could remember, drove a pretty girl home without having seen her naked first.

* * *

><p>"Damon," Elijah said in surprise. "What brings you here?"<p>

"I need to talk to Selina about Sam," Damon replied, striding through Elijah and Selina's front door. "Don't worry. You can chaperone if you want."

"Don't think I won't," Elijah replied.

They headed to the library and Selina started as she saw them. "Damon!" She cried. "What's going on?"

"Sam's a bit upset," Damon replied.

"Why?" Selina asked. "What about?"

"Well, he met Addie when we were at the bar the other night and the two of them hit it off. However, when Roxie and I pointed out that they were related and sex wasn't an option, they got a bit upset."

"Well, I'm sorry for them," Selina replied. "I don't mean to be a prolific breeder, but that's how it happened. What do you want me to do about it?"

"Nothing," Damon replied. "I just wanted to give you an update."

"Well, I'd feel worse if Sam thought Addie was someone he could have a future with. But that's probably not the case, right?" Selina asked. "He's the same sort of heart breaker you are?"

"Well, even if Addie _was_ the sort of person Sam could spend the rest of his life with, we won't know, will we?" Damon replied. "It's a good thing he has that job from Hazel to keep him distracted."

"Can I just ask..." Selina began. "Do you know what the job _is_ that Sam's doing for Hazel?"

"He's tailing some kid for her," Damon shrugged. "That's all I know."

"Well, I hope he's not gonna get himself into trouble," Selina replied. "Hazel tried to kill me once. When she wants something, she means business. I just...I'm worried Sam's gonna get himself into something so deep he won't be able to get out of it."

"Well, we can only hope that won't happen for now," Damon replied.

"Can't you talk to him?" Selina asked. "Maybe tell him that what he's doing could lead to bad things?"

"And if I do, do you _really_ think he'll listen?" Damon asked her. "He's our kid. Did we _ever_ listen to our parents when they thought we were doing something wrong? I hate to say this, but I think the best thing to do is let him make his own mistakes."

Selina sighed. "I guess you're right. I _really_ hope nothing bad happens to him, though."

* * *

><p>"Enid!" Hazel said as she entered her sister's apartment on the upper floor of the bar. "Enid! Can I talk to you?" She was prepared to be met by a very angry Enid, but instead, she heard singing, and her sister came out dancing with a smile on her face. She only saw the smile briefly however, as Enid sobered at the sight of her. "Leave it to you to ruin a good mood," she grouched. "What do you want?"<p>

"I came to explain myself," Hazel replied. "About Joey, I mean."

"You-you can't explain about Joey!" Enid replied. "Nothing you say will make what you're doing all right. You're hunting down an innocent boy whose only wrongdoing in your eyes was being born!"

"But you started this!" Hazel reminded her. "You revived Joey when you _knew_ it was against Father's rules to use magic to bring back the dead. I'm just righting your wrong on Father's orders."

"What kind of bull is that?" Enid replied. "Why, for once in your life, can't you look Father in the eye, tell him 'no' and follow your own heart? You know that what you're doing isn't right, don't you? If Father hadn't made a law against Joey being brought back from the dead, if it was someone other than him who made the law, would you still follow it so blindly?"

"Well," now Hazel looked uncertain. "I don't know."

"Yes, you do!" Enid told her. "I know it, Hazel. Because I know _you._ You'd let him go. You'd understand that he's a boy who deserves to live his life. That it's not his fault that rules were broken and he shouldn't be punished for someone else's mistake. If there have to be consequences for what happened to Joey, I'll take them on, whatever they are. But please, just...you and Daddy leave Joey alone!"

"Why are you so attached to this boy?" Hazel asked her sister. "What is it about him that's making you willing to throw your earthy existence away?"

"I love him," Enid told her. "And Addison too. I'm surprised you and Father aren't going after _both_ of the twins."

"Father sees no need to go after Addison," Hazel replied. "Believe me, I'm curious about why as well, but I don't want to question his word."

"Of course you don't," Enid sighed.

It was then that Hazel noticed the picture on the mantle. "It's that boy you've been chasing for _years_. When are you going to learn, Enid, that whether men be human, warlock, werewolf, or vampire, they're all fickle? Their fickleness is what inspired you to create werewolves in the first place! Or don't you remember? Going after them and giving in to your emotions should be beneath you."

"I think you're wrong," Enid told her. "I love Owen with all my heart. He's different. I've loved him for a very long time, and I want to protect him from you and your stupid ideas. That's why I only see him for a week every five-hundred years."

Hazel snorted. "Yes, that really sounds like love to me!"

"Well, fuck you!" Enid burst out. "What do _you_ know? You've never let yourself love anyone! That's probably why, under all your bravado, you're a cold, loveless, bitter person who can think of nothing to do with herself but make other people just as miserable!"

"I won't be spoken to like that!" Hazel said.

"I'm not sorry," Enid told her. "Tell Daddy all you want, but just get the hell out of my apartment!"

And with a burst of magic that was more like a _boom!_ than a _pop,_ Hazel disappeared leaving Enid alone with the picture of the love of her life.

* * *

><p>"Oh, my god!" Laura cried, running out to Edward. "Edward! Feel! Feel!"<p>

"What?" Edward asked, eyes wide. "What's the matter? Are you okay?"

"Yes!" Laura cried. "Just feel!"

She took his hand and put it on her stomach.

"Well, what do you know?" Edward said, grinning after a few seconds. "There's a baby in there!"

"Yeah, there is!" Laura replied. "It took me awhile to realize it, though. At first, I just thought I ate something funny. Then it hit me. Isn't this exciting? We should go tell my daddy!"

"You should," Edward corrected. "He doesn't want to see me yet."

"Oh, sure he does," Laura said, pulling the sleeve of Edward's jacket. "He throws fits like that all the time and is in a forgiving mood the next day!"

"Are you sure?" Edward asked.

"Yes," Laura replied. "I swear, he's forgiven you by now. Come on!" She got a look on her face that caused Edward concern. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Laura shook her head. "Just the baby again. They want you to come too."

Edward sighed. "Well, all right," he said. "I guess I have no choice but to go then."

"So, did that egg project we did for school actually help you?" Laura asked him as they made their way out to the car. "Or did it just make things worse?"

"Well, I was panicked for awhile, as you know," Edward replied as he helped her into the car. "But now I'm more worried about your father."

"Oh, don't be," Laura told him again. "Mom's probably ordered him to play nice by now. I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"All right," Edward nodded. "If you're sure."

They drove to Elijah and Selina's, where Elijah met them at the door with more enthusiasm than Edward expected.

"Care to explain the cordial greeting?" Edward asked Selina when a jubilant Elijah retreated to the kitchen.

"My ex has been coming to visit lately and having him around upsets Elijah," Selina told him. "I guess Elijah's just glad you're not him."

"You mean Uncle Klaus has been visiting?" Laura asked. "Why would Daddy be upset to see him?"

"Not your uncle," Selina shook her head. "My _other_ ex."

"Well, pardon me for asking," Edward replied. "But just how many exes do you have that Mr. Mikaelson is wary of?"

"Only two," Selina replied. "Now, what was it that sent you over here?"

"Baby's kicking," Laura replied. "And I'm _so_ glad I'm not sick anymore!"

"It's nice, isn't it?" Selina replied.

"Hell, yes!" Laura nodded. "It makes work a whole lot easier. Enid will probably let me off when I start to get bigger, though."

"And your graduation is in a couple of months," Selina added. "What do you want to do about that?"

"Well, I would prefer a small party, very informal," Laura replied. "You know, burgers, shakes, maybe a cake from the bakery. Dad'll probably want to do something big and fancy, won't he?"

"Probably," Selina nodded. "But I'll try to talk him out of it."

"Talk me out of what?" Elijah asked, coming back into the room.

"Laura only wants a small graduation party," Selina told him. "Not one of your big, fancy paloozas."

"Oh, why?" Elijah asked, looking sad.

"Cause I just don't understand why there needs to be all the fuss when something small is just as good," Laura replied to her father. "Don't you think?"

"I guess," Elijah sighed. "If it's what you want, Laura. Is that how you feel, Edward?"

"Sure," Edward nodded. "That would be fine."

Elijah had clearly been counting on Edward to back him up, but he took it in stride. "So," he began. "What is-"

"Baby kicking!" Laura interrupted. "Wanna feel?"

"No, thanks," Elijah replied. "I'll just believe you." He gave her a hug. "I'm happy for the two of you."

"So, are you gonna go see Enid so she can tell you what you're having?" Selina asked.

"I kind of want to be surprised, actually," Laura replied. "We'll paint the room sunny yellow, cause that's a color for either sex, then whatever comes out will come out."

"That's very practical," Edward told her. "I'm amazed."

"Well, sometimes, I'm just full of surprises," Laura told him. "I can be practical sometimes, even though it's not my favorite thing. That's what I have _you_ for!" She giggled.

They stayed a little longer, then left because Laura and Edward both had homework to do.

"It's not _fair_," Laura whined. "Why do I have to be pregnant _and_ do homework too?" She peered at Edward, who was driving. "Remember when you did my homework? That was nice."

"I'm glad you can't compel me," Edward told her. "Cause I have a feeling that if you could, you'd do it right now."

"No, I wouldn't!" Laura replied. "I would just complain vociferously until you gave in."

"That wouldn't happen," Edward told her. "I'd never give in."

"Are you sure?" Laura asked.

"Yes, I'm sure," Edward told her. "The sooner you start your homework, the sooner it will be done, and you won't have to think about it anymore."

"Fine," Laura sighed. "I'll do my stupid homework. Even the math. But I won't like it."

"I know," Edward told her. "But that's not new. You never do."

They arrived home and Laura went straight to her side of their room. "Tell me if you need any help," Edward told her.

"I will," Laura sighed. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Edward replied. "Good luck.

"Yeah," Laura nodded at him. "Same to you."


	11. Joey Comes Home

"What did you find out about the feud?" Selina asked Joey. "Did Uncle Jake tell you anything interesting?"

"Yep," Diana told her. "He said it led to his death. He was friends with both a Talbot and a Lucas, they both rained terror on the town because of the feud, and when they found out they were gonna get caught, they high-tailed it out of town and everything was blamed on Jake instead. That's why he was killed."

"Oh, my god!" Selina's eye began to twitch. "So you're telling me that whole reason my family had to spend their whole lives in fear of the people of Mystic Falls was because the Talbots and the Lucases framed Uncle Jake and caused his death? And they called him their friend before! They were just a couple of self-absorbed sons of bitches weren't they? No consideration for how their selfish actions would affect other people!"

"I think we should go," Diana replied, standing up. "Otherwise, she might kill us."

"No, no," Selina replied, trying to calm down. "I'm not mad at you. You didn't do anything. It was your relatives who caused my life to be ruined."

"And how exactly did they ruin your life?" Diana asked. "You weren't even born when the feud happened, right?"

"Well, no," Selina sighed. "But the whole family lived in fear after Uncle Jake was killed. They had to behave like humans and there was constant worry that they would be found out and killed too. Mama got real worried when I was five and nearly killed somebody. That's when I was put on an awfully short leash and she tried to make me someone I wasn't, just because _she_ was afraid."

"But she was just trying to protect you," Diana reasoned. "You can't fault her for that, can you?"

"Well, no," Selina replied. "But if your relatives hadn't fucked up and caused the death of mine, I would have had a more normal childhood. I would have been able to be the person that I wanted to be, and I could've actually had a good relationship with my mother. But I guess none of that mattered to Jeremiah Lucas and Alexander Talbot as long as they got to do what they had to in order to get out of Mystic Falls!"

"All right, Grandma," Joey called after her as she stomped away. "This was a nice chat, but we'll go now."

He pulled Diana out of the house and they made their way toward the car to go back to Jake's. "Well, I think it's a good idea for us not to talk to _her_ again," Diana said. "Do you think she hates both of us now cause of what our families did to her uncle?"

"Well, she can't hate me," Joey replied. "Cause I'm family. But I would stay clear if I were you."

"No problem," Diana replied, feeling a bit nervous. "After that look on her face, you don't have to tell me twice." As they pulled away from the house, Diana said, "So, are we going straight back to Jake's, or...?"

"I don't know," Joey replied. "I'll call to see if he's having Sherry over, and if so, we'll go to Enid's. I need to visit her anyway, cause she's probably worried for me. In fact, let's just do that. Is that okay with you?"

"Sure," Diana nodded. "Why not?"

* * *

><p>"So..." Addie asked Enid, taking the picture off the table of her upstairs apartment at the bar that showed a smiling young man with dark eyes, and curly dark hair. "Who's this guy? He's cute!"<p>

"His name is Owen," Enid told her. "He's my...I guess you could call him my boyfriend. But I only get to see him for a week every five hundred years."

"Well, that's not fair!" Addie exclaimed. "What did you do to get punished like that?"

"I didn't get punished," Enid told her. "It was my idea. I just...I didn't want Hazel to hurt him, so I told him we had to see each other as little as possible. However, he's coming soon! I'm so happy!" She began jumping up and down.

"When he comes, can I meet him?" Addie asked.

"Sure," Enid replied. "I think he'll like you. He'll probably even see you as the daughter he never had."

"Cool," Addie grinned. "I can't wait!"

Just then, they heard a knock on the apartment door and Enid tensed.

"What's the matter?" Addie asked.

"It could be Hazel," Enid whispered. "She knows that it's just about time for me to see Owen and she has no problem with yelling at me about it." They hoped their not answering the door would cause the person on the other side to go away, but they didn't. Instead, the knocking became more insistent, and Joey finally called out, "Aunt Enid? It's Joey! Can I come in?"

Enid let out a breath and went to answer the door. "Sorry," she said as Joey and Diana entered the apartment . "I thought you were Hazel, and after what she did to you, I have no interest in letting _her_ back in here."

"Well, thanks," Joey replied. "But I haven't seen her around me lately and _believe _me, I've been looking over my shoulder. I think she's lost interest in me."

"I wouldn't count on it," Enid replied. "Just because my sister stops following you around personally doesn't mean she's lost interest. It just means she's working on finding a more subtle way of tailing you, so she can get what she wants without you knowing. If you see anything suspicious, just let me know and I'll deal with it."

"Well, thanks," Joey replied. "Thanks so much for looking out for me through all this. I don't know why you're so interested in helping me, but I'm grateful."

"Well, it's my pleasure," Enid replied. "If anyone knows what it feels like to have Hazel following them day and night because of things that really aren't her business, it's me. I don't want you to go through the same thing."

"Why would she want to go after you?" Joey asked. "You're her sister."

Addie took the picture of Owen off the table and showed it to her twin brother. "You see this guy? Enid loves him and because he's just a typical warlock, Hazel doesn't approve."

"Well, damn!" Joey said, his voice full of sympathy. "That sucks."

"Yeah, well, stuff happens," Enid shrugged. "Now, who's your friend?"

"Oh," Joey turned. "This is Diana," he said, urging the redhead to come forward. "We're friends. She's a Lucas."

"A Lucas and a Talbot," Enid replied. "How remarkable. And I thought my relationship with Owen was going up against serious odds."

"Yeah, his grandma wasn't too happy when we told her the part that Jake had to play in everything," Diana replied. "She seemed really pissed off about it, as a matter of fact."

"But I know she won't go after me and the rest of the Talbots because we're family," Joey added. "It's Diana I'm worried about."

"Yes," Enid sighed. "What happened to Jake was a tragedy. He used to come in here often, especially when he was doing his research and right after he turned. Then, he stopped coming and no one knew why. He was killed, you said?"

"Yeah," Diana replied. "Offered up as an excuse for the destruction the Talbots and the Lucases caused, so they could get out of town undetected and continue the feud in a more secluded spot."

"But he's alive again," Joey told her. "Some sort of witchcraft Alistair did a long time ago. Do you want me to tell him to stop by and see you?"

"Sure," Enid replied. "Would you?"

Joey nodded and he and Diana made their way toward the apartment door to go down to the ground floor.

"I should probably go too," Addie replied. "I think it's almost time for my shift, and Sam said he was gonna stop by today."

"You really like Sam, huh?" Enid asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Addie nodded. "I do. But, as Mom already reminded me, he and I are related so we can't do anything more than be friends."

"Because you have Selina as a common ancestor," Enid said.

"Yep," Addie nodded dejectedly. "Exactly."

"Well, don't be too hard on yourself," Enid replied. "If he's your mate, there's not a lot you can do."

"But I'd be having sex with my uncle, or however he's related to me!" Addie cried. "Isn't that gross or something?"

"It is," Enid replied. "Taboo. But here's the thing: relatives never feel the urge to mate with each other. So you go and have fun with Sam."

"Really?" Addie asked. "Are you serious? But I don't get it. What do you know that you're not telling me?"

Enid sighed. "Never mind," she said. "I think it might be easiest to listen to your Mom and do what she says."

"Yeah, but you just said..." Addie trailed off.

"Go downstairs," Enid said firmly. "It's about time for your shift to start."

Addie wanted to say something more, but when it was made clear by the look on Enid's face that nothing else pertinent would be coming from her, Addie just sighed, shook her head, and went downstairs.

* * *

><p>"Well, look who's back at the bar?" Roxie commented as Addie came downstairs. "Sam Salvatore! And he and your brother seem to be having a nice chat."<p>

"I know he's at one of your tables, Mom, but can I take his order?" Addie begged. "Please?"

"All right," Roxie sighed. "But remember what I said about getting too attached to him."

"Yeah, sure," Addie nodded. "Whatever." She strode over to the table where Sam sat, chatting with Joey and Diana. "What can I get you?" She asked him.

"Well, along with the company of an extremely hot waitress, I don't know," Sam winked. "What do you recommend?"

"How about I surprise you?" Addie suggested.

"Sure," he nodded. "Why not?" Addie gave him a grin and Roxie could clearly see him eying her daughter's butt as Addie walked away.

"Was he looking at me?" Addie asked. "Are you gonna tell Dad? Will he be upset?"

Roxie sighed. "Why are you doing this to me?!" She asked her daughter. "Why are you turning me into a nagging parent who cares way too much about her kids' love lives?"

"Well, there's an easy way to fix that, you know," Addie told her, setting the paper down. "Just don't nag."

Roxie rolled her eyes, made Sam's drink, and put it on a tray for her. "What do you have for me there?" Sam asked as Addie set the tray down. Her cleavage was well in Sam's view, but he did his best to look away from it. "So," he repeated, clearing his throat and tugging on his collar. "What do you have for me there?"

"Boilermaker," Addie replied. "Glass of beer, shot of whiskey. Think you can handle it?"

"Well, of course I can," Sam replied. "Not a problem."

"My brothers like those," Diana told him. "I tried one once on a bet and it didn't end well."

"But I can," Sam replied and began chugging the beer as both Joey and Diana watched in amazement. When the glass was drained, he downed the shot, licked his lips, and grinned at his tablemates' amazement. "There," he said, and burped. "Told you I could do it!"

"Impressive," Addie replied and picked up the glasses. "I'll be sure to make a note."

"Give me another one, would you?" Sam asked her.

"All right," Addie replied. "If that's what you think you can handle." She left and Sam turned his attention back to the pair sitting with him. "So," he said. "You two come in here often? I'm practically a newbie myself."

"I actually lived here for awhile," Joey replied.

"But I'm relatively new," Diana replied. "I'm Diana, by the way. And this is Joey."

"Joey Talbot?" Sam asked, shaking their hands.

"Yeah," Joey replied. "How did you know?"

Sam shrugged. "Your grandma is my mom. Long story."

"Well, what do you know?" Diana grinned. "Joey, you have a new uncle!"

"I know!" Joey replied. "Well, actually, I didn't, but you know what I mean."

"Addie and I were thinking of going out sometime, you know, as friends," Sam said. "You two seem chummy. Wanna join us?"

"Sure," Diana said as Joey nodded. "Let's. It's not like we have anything else to do."

"All right," Sam grinned. "Once Addie gets back here, we'll make plans."

Addie came back with Sam's drink, got a beer for Joey and White Russians for Diana and herself, then the four of them toasted their friendship before making plans to go out together on the upcoming Friday night.

"I'm actually looking forward to it," Diana said as she took Joey's hand and they left the bar. "Are you?"

"Yeah," Joey nodded. "I've never really had friends because of the looming threat of Hazel, so this could be the start of something good for me, I think."

"Well, good," Diana replied. "I'm happy for you, Joey."

"Yeah," Joey nodded. "I'm happy for me too."


	12. Someone's Walking On MY Grave

"And just what is the matter with you?" Elijah asked Selina as she stormed into his office.

"I am not happy right now!" Selina replied, stomping her foot.

"I can see that," Elijah replied, standing up from his desk. "Anything I can do to help?"

"No," Selina shook her head. "I just found out that my uncle was murdered because of crimes he didn't commit, and the people who _did_ commit them got off scot-free!"

"Well, that's unfortunate," Elijah replied. "I'm sorry. Is there anything we can do to bring these people to justice?"

"No, it's not possible!" Selina replied. "Everything happened over two hundred years ago, so they're all dead."

"Well, then I have to say that I think it's pointless to work yourself up," Elijah told her, coming around to take her in his arms. "I think you have more worthwhile things to do with yourself than getting upset over events that can't be changed."

"But you don't understand!" Selina told him. "These guys really screwed me and my family over! I wanna like, spit on their graves, or dig their bodies up and set them on fire or something!"

"You will not do that," Elijah told her firmly. "You will be calm and get your mind on other, less provocative things."

"All right," Selina replied. "Sure." She took a deep, calming breath.

"Good girl," Elijah praised her. "Now, I think you should go take a bath or do something else so you can relax."

"Or _you _could help me with that," Selina suggested.

"I would, but I have things to do before Father and I go out hunting tomorrow."

"All right," Selina sighed. "I'll go take a bath by myself. But you stay in here and think about what you're missing out on."

"Oh, I will," Elijah replied, without looking up. "I promise."

Selina left the office and shut the door behind her, wishing the bathroom she would be using was closer to it so she could moan obnoxiously as she scrubbed herself with sudsy water and Elijah would hear it loud and clear.

She reached her and Elijah's room, got the water running, put in some bubble bath, undressed, and boosted herself into the tub. Despite what she'd told Elijah, she _really_ thought that Uncle Jake needed to be avenged. She knew he'd never do it himself, so it was all up to her. The question was, how to do it? She remembered what she'd told Elijah earlier, about digging up the men's bodies and setting them on fire. That seemed like a doable suggestion. Now, all she had to do was research where the right cemetery was, maybe get someone to come with her, and then, she'd get her revenge!

* * *

><p>That night, Klaus and Elijah's sister Anna was roused abruptly from sleep by the sound of one of her bedroom windows breaking. She got out of bed, sped over to the window, and called out, "Who is it?"<p>

"It's me, Anna!" Selina called from the yard. "Sorry about your window! Can I come in?"

Anna sighed. "Why did I even ask who it was?" She muttered to herself as she put a robe on and went downstairs. "I should have _known_ who it was. Not many people visit me."

She opened the door and Selina came in. "Hey," she said. "How are you?"

"Good, for it being just after one in the morning," Anna replied. "You?"

"Is Jim out again?" Selina asked. "It seems like whenever I come over, your husband isn't here."

"He died," Anna replied. "Car accident. Skidded on some ice, car exploded." She sighed. "Humans are so fragile."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Selina replied, her voice full of sympathy. "Do you want me to go and leave you alone?"

"No," Anna replied. "Actually, I could use the company. What brings you here? Just the need to chat?"

"Not exactly," Selina shook her head as both women made their way to the kitchen. "I need a favor. I know I shouldn't have any right to ask you for one since we've hardly seen each other since your wedding, but I'm asking anyway: I need you to come to a cemetery and help me dig up some bodies so I can burn them."

Anna stared at her hopeful face incredulously for a few minutes, burst out laughing, and when she got her breath, replied, "That was_ not_ what I expected you to say."

"I know," Selina replied. "So will you help me?"

"Does Elijah know you're doing this?" Anna asked.

"Not at the moment," Selina replied. "He's at home asleep. I hinted at it earlier today when the thing that made me want to do it actually happened, but he just thinks I was venting."

"Oh, all right, good." Anna grinned. "Nice to see you back. I honestly thought Elijah had turned you nice for good."

"I admit he has, mostly," Selina conceded. "But sometimes, I have dark moments still, no matter _what_ he says."

"Good to know," Anna replied. She dressed quickly and then the two of them went to Selina's car. "I have shovels already, and the fire source," Selina told her. "It's all in the trunk."

"So," Anna asked as they got in the car and drove off. "How far is this cemetery, anyway?"

"Not far," Selina replied. "I promise."

* * *

><p>"Kind of run down, isn't it?" Anna asked as she and Selina forced open the ivy-covered gate, breaking the lock.<p>

"Yeah," Selina nodded, holding the flashlight and training it on various graves. Anna held the shovels and the gasoline. "But that's a good thing. The people I'm looking for were killed over two hundred years ago." She let out a soft exclamation as she found the right graves, ironically side by side.

"All right," she told Anna. "Here's where we dig." But they'd barely gotten their shovels in the ground when, out of nowhere, two burly figures appeared and attacked them.

"Who are you?" the one that held Selina asked. She punched him and pushed him off of her. "My uncle was a Lockwood," She said, kicking the main repeatedly before sinking her fangs into his neck. "And these two fools caused his death. So I deserve vengeance now, don't you think?" She then ripped the man's throat, tossed him aside, and let him bleed out. Anna was being much more gentle with his friend.

"You're a Lockwood?" He asked as Anna let him sit up.

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "I am. What the hell are you and that friend of yours doing here?"

"We're just guarding our ancestor's graves so no one from the other clan comes to defile them," The man explained. "We weren't expecting a Lockwood."

"Why not?" Selina asked. "You only caused the death of my ancestor just so this damn feud of yours could go on. But I bet your ancestors didn't care about him, did they? He was just a means to an end so they could continue their stupid, fucking feud and murder everyone in sight without being killed themselves."

The man didn't know how to respond to that. Finally, Selina just grabbed hold of him and started feeding before offering him to Anna. "Want some?" She asked. "This is much better than the crap Elijah makes me drink at home.

"Sure," Anna replied. "Thanks."

Once both men were dead, they continued digging and reached the coffins of each man. There wasn't much left of their corpses, but Selina set what remained on fire, and then she and Anna threw the bodies of the men they'd just killed in their ancestors' coffins before burying them again. Then, they heard a yell. Turning, they saw a cemetery caretaker with a camera watching them with frightened eyes. They grinned at each other and chanced down the man as well, killing him and leaving the body on the front porch before driving away. Selina dropped Anna off first, and then drove herself home with the goal of sneaking in so that Elijah would never notice she was gone.

She managed to make it, and thought she was home free, but two days later, news of her and Anna's jaunt came on the news:

"In a startling discovery last night," said the very severe-looking reporter, "The caretaker of the old cemetery on route 6 that contains the remains of the infamous feuding Lucas and Talbot families was found broken into last night. In addition, the caretaker was found dead on his porch, and after further examination from the police, it was found that the graves of Jeremiah Lucas and Alexander Talbot had been disturbed. There is no way to ascertain at this moment who the perpetrator is, but the police say they have every intention of catching them."

Elijah turned off the television and faced her, shock in his eyes. "Did you do this?" He asked. "I mean, I know you mentioned you were going to break into a cemetery to avenge your relatives, but I didn't think you'd be stupid enough to actually do it!"

"Oh, screw you!" Selina shot back. "If you were in my position, you'd have done exactly the same thing, you hypocrite! Will you at least let me explain why I did what I did?"

"Fine," Elijah replied, his arms crossed. "You have sixty seconds."

"The two guys I went after, their actions caused my uncle's death," Selina replied. "That's why I dug up their graves and stuff. And then Anna and I had to kill thee other people because if we hadn't, they would have found us out!"

"Wait," Elijah's eyes widened. "You and my sister killed _three_ people? But only one was mentioned on the news."

"That's because we buried the other two in their ancestors' coffins," Selina replied. "They'll not be found as easily. Now come on, you can't _really_ scold me for committing murder to uphold my family name, can you? I know you've done that. And how did you know I was with your sister?"

Elijah sighed. "Who else has been with you when you do ridiculous, violent things?' Then, he lapsed into silence. She had a good point. He _had_ committed honor killings before. But he knew when to stop and he was worried that if he showed he condoned this, she'd take it as an O.K. to just kill whenever she wanted. Finally, he said, "In this particular case, I suppose it would be wrong of me to scold you, but I don't want you to make a habit of murdering people for no reason."

"I won't," Selina replied. "This was just a one-time thing. I _swear."_

"Well, fine," Elijah replied. "If you're telling the truth, we'll forget about it, then. What did my sister say when you showed up at her doorstep?"

"She was surprised but pleased," Selina replied. "Her husband died in a car accident awhile ago, so she's been alone for a time and was glad for my company."

"Her husband died?" Elijah asked. "What a shame. We'll have to have her over to visit sometime."

"We really should," Selina agreed. "Ever since I met Amy, I've kind of been neglectful of her."

"That might be a good thing, though," Elijah told her. "Amy is a _much_ better influence."

"I knew you'd say that," Selina told him. "But that doesn't mean we should leave your sister behind."

"Fine," Elijah replied. "Call her up and set up an outing if you would like."

"All right," Selina said, standing up and going to root around in her purse for her phone. "I will."

* * *

><p>"Thanks for picking me up for our first...whatever this is," Addie told Sam as they drove to the restaurant where they were meeting Joey and Diana. "I don't think it's a date, so I could've driven to the restaurant myself."<p>

"But where's the fun in that?" Sam asked.

"There is none," Addie replied. "You make a good point." She then twisted around to look at the seats behind her. "You know," she said, clearing her throat. "I didn't think your car would be anything like this."

"You didn't?" Sam asked. "What sort of car did you think I would have?"

"Well, one with a bigger backseat for one thing," Addie replied. Sam scoffed. "Please," he said after a chuckle. "I've been with a lot of women for sure, but never in my car. I'm not just some high school jock looking for a quickie. I try to be classier than that."

"Do you?" Addie replied. "So, can I assume you'd at least buy me-I mean, your date-dinner first?"

"Well, yeah," Sam grinned. "If you-I mean, my date-wants it, that is."

They arrived at the restaurant and parked the car. When Sam opened the door for Addie, she hopped out, took a few steps, and then stumbled so Sam had to catch her.

"Sorry," Addie replied. "New shoes, high heels, sucky balance."

"No problem," Sam replied, holding on to her for a few seconds, then letting her stand up. "Are you gonna be all right now?"

"Maybe," Addie replied. "But you could hold on to my hand just to make sure I don't fall again. I can be really clumsy sometimes."

"Well," Sam replied, taking her hand and holding it tight. "We wouldn't want you to fall and hurt yourself, would we?"

He led her into the restaurant and they looked around for Joey and Diana. "Looks like we're the first ones here," Addie commented. They got a table, sat down, and played footsie under the table while they waited for Joey and Diana to join them.

"Are we interrupting something?" Joey asked good-naturedly as he and Diana reached the table.

"No," Sam replied as he and Addie looked away from each other. "We're fine."

"Sorry we had to delay this dinner a day or two," Joey told them. "But stuff happens."

"Did you hear about that story on the news?" Diana asked. "Some nut broke into the cemetery where Joey's and my ancestors are buried and...messed with the graves! Oh, and I suppose yours too, Addie, since you're twins. Maybe they even dug the bodies up. And the cemetery caretaker was killed too."

"Well, what kind of a psycho would do something like that?" Sam asked. "Some crazy people needing dead bodies for some sort of ritual?"

"I don't know," Diana replied. "The police don't have any leads."

"Well, I hope they find out who did it soon," Joey replied. "It's scary to think there are people out there crazy enough to do things like that."

"I agree," Addie said. "Now can we talk about something more pleasant than dug up graves and murders?"

"Really, you want to change the subject?" Joey asked her in surprise. "I thought it would be right up your alley."

"But it's not," Addie replied. "Especially when I'm about to eat."

"Can I just add one thing to the conversation before we change the subject?" Sam asked.

"Oh all right," Addie replied. "What is it that you want to say?"

Sam thought a moment. "I would just loved to have been there when the crazy person showed up, don't you think? I would have loved to see what kind of crazy person would dig up a dead body. All right, I'm done. We can change topics now."

"Good," Addie replied. They ordered a bottle of wine after Sam compelled the waiter, and then once he was gone, focused on their menus. "That was really cool, what you just did," Addie told Sam. He grinned. "What's dinner without a little wine?" He asked jovially.

"Wait," Diana said in amazement. "Did you seriously just make it so the waiter would bring us wine? No wonder he didn't even card us! This is cool!" She looked at Joey. "Isn't it cool?"

"I could have done that," Joey said. "I'm a vampire too."

"Oh, don't look so hurt," Diana told him. "You can make him give us free dessert and I'll like _you_ even more."

"All right," Joey said. "Just to prove that I can, I'll do that!"

With this promise in mind, Diana urged everyone to eat dinner as fast as they possibly could. Then, not only did they order dessert, but, thanks to Joey, ordered _multiple_ desserts, so as they left the restaurant Addie felt like it was difficult to move.

"Want me to carry you?" Sam asked her.

"I don't know how much I weigh after all that dessert, but you can give it a try," Addie responded. To her surprise, Sam picked her up easily, and, after Joey and Diana pulled out of the parking lot, he sped Addie over to his car, setting her down by the passenger side door.

"I feel like I should thank you," she told him. "Not just for carrying me to the car, but for everything. It was a great night."

"You're welcome," Sam replied, opening the car door. "Your carriage, my lady."

"Thanks again," Addie grinned at him. She then took a few steps toward the car before she turned back to him, kissing him long enough that he could feel himself begin to get excited.

"Okay, okay," he said, pushing her back. "I get it, you're grateful, you're welcome."

"Want a tissue?" Addie asked, pulling one out of her purse. "You have my lipstick on your face."

"Give it," Sam replied, snatching it away from her. He then threw it on the ground before helping Addie into the car, and driving her back to her house, where he dropped her off at her door, and then sped off before she could invite him in to see her parents.


	13. Looking For Treasure

"I love what you've done with the place, Enid," Laura told her as Edward led his pregnant wife inside. "So romantic. How long until your boyfriend comes?"

Just a couple more days," Enid replied. "I just...it's getting really hard to wait!" She peered at Laura. "And how are you doing? Whenever you start feeling like you can't handle your work load, just let me know and I'll let you off."

"Well, thanks," Laura replied, wincing at the soreness in her back as she sat down on the bar stool. "I hate to admit it, but I might have to take you up on that at some point."

"Or I could cover her shifts for her," Edward offered. "It's no different than doing her homework."

"You do her homework?" Roxie asked. "Haven't your teachers caught on yet?"

"I don't do it _all _the time," Edward replied. "Just when she feels ill. And I told her she had to be honest with me about that."

"And I really do try to be," Laura replied earnestly. "Even though the urge to play sick all the time is always there to tempt me."

"Maybe I'm becoming a good influence on you," Edward suggested.

"Yeah," Laura replied thoughtfully and ordered a club soda. "Maybe that's it."

"We seem to be having something of a baby boom around here lately what with you being pregnant, and then Helene..."

"It _is_ a nice coincidence," Laura replied.

"Are you _sure_ you don't want to find out what kind of baby you're having?" Enid asked Laura.

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "We're sure." She paused. "So, has it been a long time since you saw your boyfriend?"

"Yes," Enid replied. "Five hundred years. And you know what? I think I might have a way to get him to stay permanently this time."

"You mean, other than _asking_ him to stay?" Laura asked.

"I know about asking him!" Enid replied, her eyes flashing. "Of course he'd say 'Yes' to _that_. But even if he _said_ yes, there's still the Hazel problem to fix, and I know how to do it: the Noir diamond."

"What's that?" Laura asked.

"It's a powerful diamond my father gave my mother. So powerful that if I got my hands on it, I'd be more powerful than Hazel, and she'd have no choice but to let me and Owen be!" Enid grinned.

"And do you know where it is?" Laura asked.

"I did once," Enid replied. "But it disappeared years and years ago to I don't know where."

"I do," Hazel replied, appearing quite suddenly. "And it's _never_ going to leave my sight, no matter how much you try to get it away!" She disappeared and Edward scoffed. "A little over dramatic, isn't she?"

"Yes," Enid sighed. "That she is." Then, she looked at Laura. "I think the last person to have the diamond was my sister Vanessa, and more than anyone, she hung around your Uncle Klaus. If you see him, would you ask him if he's seen it?"

Just then, Klaus came in, clutching the diamond and chain in his palm. "What can you tell me about this, Enid?"

And Enid smiled at Laura. "Never mind," she said.

* * *

><p>"Can we talk?" Sam asked Addie.<p>

"You mean about the kiss?" Addie asked. "Well, I didn't mean anything by it. If it bothered you, then I'm sorry. I'd had a lot of wine, and it seemed like a good thing to do at the time."

"No, it's fine," Sam replied. "You don't have to apologize."

They were loitering in the hallway before third period. "You want to ditch your next class so we can talk?"

"Sure," Addie nodded. "I think maybe we'd better."

They left the building and went to sit on the front steps.

"I'm not embarrassed about the kiss," he told her. "In fact, I liked it."

"I know," Addie replied. "I felt that."

"But I think we should be careful about doing it again," Sam replied. "At least for the moment."

"I agree," Addie replied. "And no more wine for me when we go out, huh?"

Sam chuckled. "I won't if you won't," he said.

Then, Addie got a twinkle in her eye. "Since we're out here anyway, you wanna go get ice cream?" She asked.

"Sure," Sam replied, standing and helping her up. "Why not?"

They walked to Sam's car and went to get ice cream, returning just in time for their next class.

"Bye," Sam said to Addie as he let go of her hand at her classroom door. "Want me to take you home after school?"

"Well, that depends," Addie replied. "Are you gonna drop me off at the front door and then run away from my parents in terror?"

"Don't say it like that," Sam told her. "You make me sound like a coward when you say it that way!"

"Well, then come in the house with me this time," Addie replied. "It's not difficult. My parents won't suspect a thing."

"Are you sure?" Sam asked.

"Yes," Addie nodded. "I'm sure."

"All right," Sam replied. "See you after school."

* * *

><p>Despite Sam's solemn promise to Addie that he would come in with her and not feel the least bit self-conscious about it, when he parked in Vince and Roxie's driveway, that's exactly how he felt.<p>

"Mom and Dad aren't home," Addie told him after noticing their car was gone. "You can relax now, Sam."

Sam let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, helped Addie out of the car, and followed her inside. Then, they found Joey waiting for them in the kitchen.

"Mom and Dad had to run to work," he informed them. "I don't know when they're gonna be back. Enid heard something about a diamond being found and had to make a run for it."

"A diamond?" Addie asked, scrunching her nose. "Why would a _diamond_ be so important?"

Joey shrugged. "Because it's fancy? I don't know. I'm just the messenger." He went to make himself a sandwich. "The two of you want anything?" He asked.

"No, thanks," Sam told him. "If we do, we can get it ourselves."

After that, they watched TV together until Roxie and Vince came home, then, after some brief small talk, Sam made a quick exit from the house.

"That Sam seems like a good boy," Vince commented. "It's a shame he never stays to talk long."

"He's afraid you'll hate him," Addie told her father. "I said that there was nothing to worry about, but he still insists on being a nervous Nellie anyway."

"That's a bummer," Vince replied. "I'd like to get to actually sit down and talk to him."

"I'll let him know that," Addie replied. "But just so you know, that might freak him out more than he is now, just FYI."

* * *

><p>"So," Damon said when Sam strode in. "Where were you? Why didn't you come home after school? Why do you even <em>go<em> to school? You're past the age where you need to."

"I know," Sam replied. "But there's a girl there who-" He paused, eying Lucy, who was sitting on the sofa and watching him intently. "What, no smart aleck comments from the peanut gallery about my going to school just so I can continue my habit of accumulating women?"

"There are worse ways to pick up women," Lucy replied. "At least by going after one at school, you have to take time to get educated. And that'll do you good whether the girl is smart enough not to fall for your tricks or not."

"Wow," Damon replied, looking back and forth between them. "I think that's the most civil exchange the two of you have had in awhile."

"I know," Lucy replied. "It's my goat to try and be civil to him, even when it's difficult. Him not living here permanently makes that a little easier."

"Well, actually," Sam replied, "Since I'm going to school, staying here would mean a shorter commute for me."

"All right," Damon nodded. "But I don't want either of you fighting with each other in return. Is that understood?"

"Yes," Lucy sighed. "All right."

"Okay," Sam replied. "I think I'll go to my room then."

Damon followed him after that. "So," he said when he'd caught up. "This girl...who is she? Come on, you can't keep me in the dark!"

"I can't tell you," Sam replied. "Cause you'll feel the need to tell Mom and it will upset her."

"I won't do that," Damon told him. "I promise."

Sam gave his father a long look before saying, "all right. It's Addie."

"Am I supposed to know who that is?" Damon asked. "I don't think I do."

"She's Roxie's daughter," Sam sighed.

"Oh." Damon sucked in his breath. "Now I know why you don't want me telling your mother. You're getting feelings for your niece."

"I know," Sam replied. "Every woman I see who _isn't_ related to me is a one night stand, but the second I find one I really like, she's related to me. Life's really a bitch, isn't it?"

Damon sighed. "Sometimes it is," he agreed, putting a hand on Sam's shoulder. "I'm sorry, son."

* * *

><p>"So, what book did<em> you <em>bring for 'read your favorite book' day?" Emily asked Henry.

"I don't think I brought one," Henry confessed. "We don't have a lot of books at my house."

"It's okay," Margaret said to him. "I brought one for you."

"Well, thank you," Henry said.

"That one's about pirates!" Emily observed. "Do you like pirates, Henry?"

"My dad used to be one," Henry replied.

"But pirates were a long time ago!" Emily pointed out, getting a better grip on her copy of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar."

"When he says his dad was a pirate, that was on a sports team," Margaret told Emily. "He's not talking about _real_ pirates."

"Oh," Emily nodded. "Okay." She went to sit down and Henry smiled at Margaret. "Thanks for getting me out of that," he told her.

"You're welcome," Margaret replied. "It's not a problem."

They sat down and he said, "sometimes I forget that I have to watch what I say around Emily because she's human."

"It's okay," Margaret replied. "I understand."

The teacher clapped her hands and urged everyone to look at her. "All right," she said. "Does everyone have a book? Hold up your books so I can see them."

When everyone held up their books, the teacher nodded with satisfaction. "Everyone find a place to sit yourselves down and start reading. But you have to be quiet so that people can concentrate."

The class got up from their desks and everyone found places to sit. To Henry's surprise, Margaret took a seat by herself in the corner and didn't protest when he chose to sit by Emily.

"I read better when I'm not distracted," she explained to him afterward. "I didn't hate you."

"I know," he said. "I wasn't worried." It was Margaret's day to go home with Henry, so they headed to Lenora and James' and Lenora met them at the front door with milk and cookies.

"How was your book reading day?" Lenora asked them. "Was it fun?"

"It was okay," Henry replied. "Considering it would have scared people if I'd have brought my story to life. Where's Daddy? Did he have to work again?"

"No," Lenora shook her head. "He's out in the boat with Rusty and Susanna."

Henry and Margaret went out into the yard and found James and Susanna playing a game of Pirate, a child-friendly version of the Pirate and Prisoner sex game he played with Lenora.

"You can't keep me here!" Susanna cried. "I'm gonna get out of here and kill your guts!"

"I don't think so!" James grinned. His daughter was loosely tied to a chair. "I think I'll just keep you there until I throw you to the sharks!" He grinned as he stroked her shoulder. "You look to be well-fed. They'll have a nice meal!"

"No!" Susanna shook her head, zapped off the restraints and ran at her father. "I'm gonna get yoooooou!" She tackled him and they both tumbled to the ground laughing.

Then they looked up and saw Henry and Margaret. "I was gonna ask if I could play too," Henry said. "Can I?"

"Of course," James replied, panting. "Just let me rest a minute." He let out a breath. "Wow, I'm a little out of shape. Hopefully I won't have to go on any big work trips soon so I have time to stay here and exercise."

"You're pretty!" Susanna said to her father and went to kiss him on the cheek.

"Ah, you're a good girl, Monster," James replied and took her in his arms. Henry and Margaret stood watching this display of affection uncomfortably until James remembered they were there.

"All right," he said, standing up. "Who's up for round two?"

"Me!" Henry and Susanna said at the same time. Rusty gave a bark. Then, James looked at Margaret. "Would you like to play with us, Maggie?"

"Sure," Margaret replied after a second or two. "Why not? Who will I be?"

"Well, who would you _like_ to be?" James asked.

"You should be the girl who gets kidnapped, so I can save you!" Henry suggested.

"No!" Margaret shook her head resolutely. "I don't wanna do that! I wanna help you save Susanna! Or why can't I save you?"

Henry thought about this and asked his father, "Did pirates catch other pirates?"

"Yes," James replied. "It would be right for her to save you. Let's pretend you got marooned."

"What's that?" Henry asked.

"You get stuck on an island by yourself," Margaret told him. "And that's where you die."

"Oh," Henry nodded. "I get it."

Then, James grabbed hold of him. "You are a disgrace to this ship and your crew! After all your misdeeds, there's only one thing we can do with you: Maroon you. You get one bottle of rum and one pistol." He turned to Susanna. "Get those, would you, first mate?"

"All right!" Susanna replied and came back with a cup of water, which occasionally sloshed all over the deck, and a long paper towel tube. "Here," she said.

"Now that you have these things, I will put you on an island far, far away, and you will never see another living soul," James menaced his son.

"I'm sorry!" Henry cried. "I'm sorry!"

"It's too late for apologies, lad!" James replied and took Henry to a closet and shut the door.

"Now, after ten minutes, you can go rescue him," James told Margaret. She waited the allotted time and then went to open the closet door. "Hello, there," she said. "Do you need to be saved?"

Henry nodded. "I've been abandoned on this island by pirates and if I don't get off it soon, I'll die!"

"Are you here by yourself?" Margaret asked. Just then, Rusty sidled into the closet next to Henry. "Yes," he said, petting the dog. "It's just been me and my dog here all by ourselves.

"I will rescue you!" Margaret proclaimed. She went and found a cardboard box that had been broken down and brought it to the closet. "I have a boat!" She said. "Get on and we can go away from here!"

Soon after Margaret and Henry escaped from the island, Lenora came out to the boat to tell them that dinner was ready.

"Are we all having fun in here?" Lenora asked. "I hate to interrupt it, but it's time to eat!"

"Food!" Henry cried and zipped out of the boat, while Susanna, James, and Margaret followed at a much slower pace.

"I rescued Henry after he got marooned by pirates!" Margaret told Lenora.

"Well," she laughed. "Did you decide that part of the game or did he?"

"I did!" Margaret replied.

"Well, good for you!" Lenora replied. "For saving my son, you get an extra helping of dessert. But don't tell Henry."

"Don't worry," Margaret grinned. "I won't."


	14. Doing Wrong When It's Right

A/N: there's a part of the chapter that might be an abuse trigger for some.

* * *

><p>"Where did you get that?" Enid asked Klaus, snatching the diamond away from him. "We found it in my attic," he said. "And you obviously seem to know what it is."<p>

"The Noir," Enid whispered. "I've been looking all over for this. But how did you get it? It was my mother's."

"My mother had it," Klaus replied. "Then somehow, it ended up in our attic amidst all the junk."

"How strange," Enid replied. "Can I keep this, since it's an old family heirloom and all?"

Klaus nodded. "I thought it would be the best place for it. Amy wanted to have it sent to the council."

"No!" Enid shook her head. "You must _never_ send it to the council. If you did that, there would be a chance of Hazel getting her mitts on it, and we don't want that, trust me. This is a very powerful object, and I'm the only one that can handle it responsibly." She paused and looked at Klaus with appreciation. "Thanks for bringing this," she said. "I'm glad I know that it even still exists. Where did you say it was?"

"In my attic," Klaus replied. "Do you want to keep it?"

"I-I don't know," she said. "But I definitely don't think it should be back at your house. Since you're connected with us, Hazel might think to look there. Can you think of somewhere else safe to put it?"

"Amy's sister Margot lives by us," Klaus replied. "I could ask her."

"Would you do that?" Enid asked him. "Could you ask her to keep it safe for me until the time is right for me to come get it?"

"Of course," Klaus replied, taking it back. "Not a problem."

Enid then gave him a drink for his trouble and he went on his way with the diamond firm in hand.

* * *

><p>"I have something to ask you," Addie told Sam. "I-I was asked out by another guy and I wondered if that was okay with you. I mean, normally it wouldn't matter because I date whomever I want with no attachments, but now, I feel like I should ask you first."<p>

Sam looked at her in shock for a moment or two before he nodded. "Sure," he said. "If you want to go out, you can go out."

"Really?" Addie asked. "Cause if you don't want me to, you can just say so."

"Why does my opinion matter?" Sam asked her. "It sounds like you don't want to go yourself, so just tell him that."

"Sure," Addie nodded. "You're right. But the thing is, the guy who asked me, he's not the type that handles the word 'No' easily. Come with me. Tell him you're my boyfriend."

"All right," Sam replied, pushing up his sleeves. "Let's go!"

They made their way in the direction of where Addie had left the boy, but he met them about halfway. "So," he said with a smirk. "Where are we going on our date?"

"I can't date you," Addie replied. "Sorry, I've got a boyfriend." She gestured at Sam. "This is him."

The stocky boy looked at Sam, who was slim and wiry, and burst out laughing. "HIm?" He replied. "Seriously? You're just making that up!" He grabbed her. "How is it that you go through every boy in this school and when it gets to be my turn, you, skip out on me?" He gripped her tighter and she let out a cry. "I don't think so," he whispered in her ear and then licked the lobe, restraining her hands behind her back and kissing her hard. Sam was about to go to her defense when she kicked her left foot right into his groin. He fell to the ground, moaning. Addie and Sam began to make their getaway, but were stopped by more boys who were presumably friends of the first one. "Where are you going?" One of them asked He got closer and closer to Sam, his knuckles cracking, his ruddy hands balling into fists. Then, to his surprise, Sam pulled his fist back and gave the guy a punch. He wasn't stunned for long, though, before he punched Sam back, and Addie as well. Eventually, the fight ended with the bigger boys turning tail and running, their faces covered in blood and bruises. Watching them go, Addie and Sam stood side by side, hands on their knees, panting.

"Well, that took longer than I'd have liked," Sam said. "I wonder why? Are their thick bodies less vulnerable to harm?"

"I don't know," Addie replied. "I just wanna go home."

"All right," Sam replied. "Let's."

As they were driving home, Addie noticed something strange. "My wounds aren't healing like yours are," she told Sam. "I wonder why that is. I'm a vampire just like you, so _shouldn't _they have healed by now? I've been lucky to not be seriously hurt much in my life, but things have always healed relatively quickly before." She gasped. "Maybe it's like what's wrong with Joey!" She exclaimed. "He hurt his foot when we were kids and it never healed properly. That was punishment for being brought back from the dead! What if the same thing is happening to me?"

"Could be," Sam told her. "If that's what's happening, it sucks!"

"Yeah," Roxie nodded. "I know, right?" She paused. "Could you drive to Enid's instead of heading to your dad's?" She asked. "Maybe Enid can help me."

"All right," Sam replied, changing direction to head toward the bar. "Why not?"

* * *

><p>Enid was straightening the sheets after making her bed when she heard Addie calling her.<p>

"Coming!" She called back and got down to the main room as fast as she could. "What's up?" She looked in dismay at Addie's injuries. "My god!" She cried. "What happened?"

"We got in a fight," Addie replied. "And that's what we came to talk to you about."

"Why?" Enid asked. "Do you need me to tell you not to get into fights?"

"Well, it was kind of unavoidable," Sam replied. "She would have skipped it if she could."

"And now I'm not healing!" Addie exclaimed. "Sam healed before we even got out of school, so why aren't I? I'm a vampire just like he is, and I thought it was part of the deal. Do you think Hazel is cursing me like she did with Joey's leg?"

Enid paused for a few seconds, then nodded. "Yep," she said. "That's exactly what's happening. I'll be sure to have a talk with her about that."

"You paused!" Addie cried. "Are you lying to me?"

"N-no, I'm not!" Enid shook her head rapidly. "I'm sure you'll be fine." She began hustling them out of the bar. "I can't talk right now. Have a good day!" She shut the door and then turned around to see her sister.

"So," Hazel asked with a smirk from a bar stool, crossing one leg over the other. "What was that about? What have you done that you're blaming me for?"

"Nothing," Enid replied. "And with what you did to Addie, you should be ashamed of yourself. It's bad enough you did it to her brother."

"I admit that I turned Joey into the cripple that he is now, but I was merely balancing things out," Hazel replied. "You brought him back to life, which is illegal, so I couldn't let him come back perfect, now could I?"

"You're cruel," Enid said to her sister, shaking her head. "Cruel and sick!"

"And yet," Hazel replied, "still the one Father chose to follow him over you or Ena. Why that was, I can think of several reasons. One being that you use magic irresponsibly and then feel the need to lie about it."

"I never use magic irresponsibly without a good reason!" Enid replied. "Sometimes, you have to break rules for the greater good! And Father _clearly_ doesn't mind any of the ways I've used my magic, cause he's never come down to talk to me about them."

"Hasn't the fact that I've shown up after every offense shown you something?" Hazel asked smugly.

"That proves_ nothing_!" Enid replied. "For all I know, you could be coming on your own and using Father as an excuse to cause trouble in ways he'd _never_ condone, while pretending you're in the right when you're not."

"I don't know what you did to that girl," Hazel told her sister. "But I'll find out. And what is that boy doing with her? He's supposed to be following Joey for me!"

"Maybe he's had a change of heart," Enid replied. "And has learned that working for you comes at much higher a price than other things in life, like love, that actually matter."

At this, Hazel shook out her long blonde hair, gave a haughty sniff, and disappeared.

* * *

><p>"So sorry to hear about your misfortune, Anna," Elijah said to his sister as he ushered her into their house. "Are you having trouble living alone?"<p>

"No," Anna shook her head. "Luckily for me, I'm used to it."

"And what do you need a husband for when you can corrupt my wife instead?" Elijah shot back.

"Oh, don't you blame me for this!" Anna yelled at her brother. "It was Selina's idea. She came to _me_!"

"That's right," Selina defended her friend. "And I thought you were letting this go! I talked to my uncle, he helped me see I was wrong, now I'm moving on, and so should you!"

"I was letting it go in regards to _you_," Elijah corrected. "But that doesn't mean I can't give my sister a piece of my mind. I have to say, I'm very disappointed in you two ladies."

Anna and Selina just looked at each other and smiled. "Did you hear that, Anna?" Selina said. "Elijah is disappointed in us. Whatever shall we do?" Then, they burst out laughing. Elijah didn't let this go on for very long before he snapped. "Are you two quite finished?"

"For now," Anna replied. "Now that I'm here, what are we gonna do first?"

"Oh, I'm sure we can think of some lovely things for the three of us to do together," Elijah replied. "That way, I can keep an eye on you." He went rummaging around in one of the closets and came back with a five hundred piece jigsaw puzzle of the Eiffel Tower, dumping the box's contents on to the floor. "It'll be fun putting this together," he grinned. "Don't you think?"

"No," Anna replied. "I was really hoping that we could do something that was actually fun."

"Well," Elijah replied. "I'm afraid your idea of fun is a bit different from mine."

"Oh, come on!" Anna said. "I was just talking about maybe going to a movie or something. What did _you_ think I wanted to do?"

"I think he was implying that we would probably drag him off to murder someone against his will," Selina interpreted.

"Oh, thanks!" Anna replied. "Elijah, you are my brother and I love you, but sometimes, you really _are_ an idiot!"

It was then that Selina backed away. This was clearly a family issue between Elijah and his sister and it would do her no good to take sides."

"Did you hear what my sister just said to me?" Elijah asked, turning to her.

"Yes," she replied, trying to remain stony-faced. "I heard it."

"Well, don't you think it was _wrong_ for my sister to speak to me that way?" Elijah pressed.

"I speak to that way when it's warranted," Selina replied. "Why can't she?"

"Cause she's my sister!" Elijah replied. "It's not her place!" He paused. "And come to think of it, it's not your place either!"

"Now listen," Selina replied. "I understand why you're upset at us about our little jaunt to the grave yard, and you have a right to your feelings. But we have the right to act like vampires if we want to, and you can't take that away from us, especially if we don't do it very often. Tell me, off the top of your head, when was the last time _before_ this that I killed someone. Can you?"

Elijah thought hard, but couldn't come up with an answer. "I don't know," he said finally.

"Exactly!" Selina replied. "It's because ever since I became involved with you, I've trained myself to watch my impulses and only act vampire-y if it was truly necessary because I respect your need for a 'no killing humans' life style. Apparently, though, that courtesy doesn't entitle me to some from you."

Elijah gave her a cold gaze, picked up Felix, who had just come into the room, and stalked off.

"So," Anna said once he was gone. "Wanna put the puzzle away and go see a movie? My treat!"

"Sure," Selina replied. "But you're the guest. If anyone will be compelling the ticket taker to let us in free, it will be me."

"You're so giving," Anna replied, grabbing her coat. And Selina grinned. "I know," she replied.

* * *

><p>"What are you doing here?" Peter asked Annaliese when she arrived at his hideout one day. "Don't you have a class or something?"<p>

"No," Annaliese replied. "The teacher is sick, so they cancelled. And it was a nice day, so I thought I would come and visit."

"Who said you could?" Peter asked, frowning.

"You did the second you told me where this place was," Annaliese replied. "Why are you being such a jerk?"

"You don't get to decide when you come here," Peter replied, his voice sharp. "*I* decide when you come, and right now, I want you to go away!"

Annaliese ignored him however, and stepped farther into the hideout. Then, she noticed that there was a display of little trinkets in the main section of the room, and she gasped. "You stole these!" She said. "People have been losing their stuff all week and it's because of _you_! Give it all back!"

"No," Peter replied. "I don't think so. Now I have to ponder what I want to take from _you_!"

"Well, I don't care, whatever it is!" Annaliese replied as he pushed her out of the hideout. "Do your worst."

"All right," Peter sighed. "But you'll be sorry!"

* * *

><p>The next day, Annaliese was surprised, while walking to one of her classes, to find Peter dressed up nicely and walking down the same hallway. "What are you doing?" She whispered.<p>

"Just coming to class like anyone else," Peter replied. "Nothing wrong with that, is there?"

Annaliese scoffed. "You're gonna cause trouble!" She replied. "I know it!"

"You have such little faith in me," Peter replied. "That really hurts."

They reached Annaliese's classroom and he followed her in. "What are you doing!" Annaliese whispered.

"You'll see," Peter grinned and strode to the front of the room, clearing his throat and writing his name on the board.

"Hello, boys and girls," he said, sitting on the teacher's desk. "Your real teacher is still out today, so I'll be taking his place. we're going to have a pop quiz."

They groaning, the class took out pieces of paper and Peter wrote math problems on the board. Annaliese wrote the answers the best she could, and went time was up, Peter strode up to her, snatching the paper away. He looked at her answers and chuckled. Most of them were wrong and he put them on the board so that everyone could see.

Some of the students who were good at math, began chuckling at Annaliese's ineptitude. Then, more kids joined them until Annaliese felt like she was in a room of laughter. She got out from her chair, tried to contain her tears, and ran out of the room.

When class was over, Peter found her hiding out near the bathroom. "I hate you," she told him. "Leave me alone!"

"You brought this on yourself," he said. "I didn't want to hurt you, but I had to."

"_Sure_, you didn't want to hurt me!" Annaliese replied. "But it looked like you were having fun."

"'Fun' is not the word," Peter countered. "And once I've executed my plan for you, you'll see that what I'm doing is for the best. Really. Now, do you have another class, or do you want me to walk you back to your room?" He reached out for her hand, but Annaliese slapped it away. "No, thank you," she replied. "I can get to my room just fine by myself. Goodbye!"


	15. Sam's Serenade

"So," Sam asked Addie, "what are you doing after work? Anything? Since it's Friday night, I've got an idea or two."

"Actually," Addie replied, "We're having open mike night this evening, you know? People can read poetry, sing songs, do stand up, that sort of thing. And I was thinking of staying to watch."

"Really?" Sam asked. "Are you serious about open mike night? I have to run home and get my guitar!"

"You're a musician?" Addie asked in surprise.

"Yeah," Sam replied. "But not a really good one. I had a band for a bit, then issues popped up, including my relationship with our manager, and we broke up before we really had a chance to get off the ground."

"Sorry," Addie replied. "But maybe you'd do better as a solo act instead of with a group."

"Well, you'll just see tonight, won't you?" Sam told her. "Keep a seat warm for me?"

"Sure," Addie nodded. "See you then!"

Sam headed back to the boarding house and shut himself in his room, trying to get reacquainted with his guitar. Then, he heard a noise behind him. "Nice to see you with that again, brother," said a voice.

"Where have you been?" Sam asked without looking up. "Was I getting too boring for you, Joshua?" He _did_ look up then, and saw the smiling spirit of his much older brother standing before him.

"I didn't come here to nag," Joshua assured him. "To my surprise, you've been doing very well lately. And am I imagining things, or did you finally find a young lady you'd be interested in settling down with?"

"I thought about it," Sam replied. "But things with me and Addie might not work out after all."

"Oh, dear," Joshua's blue eyes looked crestfallen. "Tell me, what excuses are you making for yourself now? Cause this pattern that you have of jumping from woman to woman won't make you happy in the long run, Sam. And despite Father's own rogue-ish nature, he's managed to find someone. I'm sure you'll be able to as well."

"It's not that!" Sam cried, feeling defensive. "It's that Addie and I are sort of...related."

"What?" Joshua asked, pushing a strand of dark hair from his eyes. "How?"

Sam sighed. "She's one of Mom's granddaughters from her relationship with one of her other husbands. And we accuse_ Dad _of going from person to person."

Joshua sighed. "Well, even if things don't work out with Addie, I'm sure you'll find someone some day." He paused. "So, what inspired you to bring out your guitar again?"

Sam shrugged. "Addie said there was a talent show at the bar where she works, so I thought I'd play a song or two."

Joshua grinned. "What a good way to impress the young lady," he said. "I hope it works out for you."

"Yeah," Sam nodded. "Me too. The good thing is, I still have a few hours to come up with the perfect song."

"Well, I'll leave you to that, then," Joshua told him. "Good luck!" Then he disappeared, leaving Sam alone with his guitar and his thoughts.

* * *

><p>"Question!" Addie cried as she burst into Jake's house and Joey and Diana looked up at her.<p>

"Nice to see you can knock," Joey replied dryly. "And how the hell did you find me? I thought this place would be a place of respite for me, away from you and everyone else."

"Don't be a jerk," Addie told him. "I just came because I have a question for you."

"All right," Joey replied. "Shoot."

Addie sighed. "You know how that foot injury you got doesn't heal in spite of you being a vampire?"

"Yeah," Joey nodded. "What about it?"

"I-I think the same sort of thing is starting to happen to me!" She said. "Do you think Hazel's put a spell on me? Maybe I should hide out here too."

"Relax!" Joey told his sister. "I was in danger from her because Aunt Enid brought me back to life after I was born dead. You don't have that same problem, so I don't think you have to worry."

"Uh-oh," Diana said. She was holding the paper and looking terrified.

"What is it?" Joey asked. He took the paper from her and felt as if he'd been socked in the gut. There was a headline on the front page that read _"Local Socialite Amelia Warren Found Dead."_

"Who's that?" Addie asked, looking over Diana's shoulder. "Someone we should know?"

"It's Grandma Selina's mother," Joey told her. "She was born a Lockwood. Maybe they've been drawn into the feud too. We should warn Grandma in case they decide to come after her, too."

"Yeah," Diana replied, grabbing her coat. "Let's do that!"

Joey looked at his sister. "Do you want to stay here or come with us?"

"I'll stay here," Addie replied. "You two go on and do your heroics by yourself."

"All right," Joey replied. "See you later! And be sure Uncle Jake sees that newspaper article when he gets back!"

* * *

><p>Selina's eyes widened as she opened the door in response to Joey and Diana's knock and they charged into the house.<p>

"Have you read your paper today?" Joey asked her. "Where is it?"

"No," Selina shook her head. "I never actually read the paper. I get my news from the internet. But the paper should be in Elijah's office. I'll go get it. What's in it that's so urgent?"

"Your mom was killed," Joey told her. "We think it was some sort of retaliation for what you did at the cemetery."

"My mom's dead?" Selina asked. "Oh, my god."

"We know it's a shock," Diana told her. "Do you need some Kleenex so you can cry?"

"No, thanks," Selina replied. "Frankly, I'm not as sad as I know I should be. My mother and I were never particularly close."

"So let me get this straight," Diana replied. "Your mother is dead and you're not sad about it. Did she try and kill you when you were a kid or something?"

"Not physically," Selina replied. "But in every other possible way. She tried to break my spirit and turn me into the person _she_ thought I should be, not the person I wanted to be. And when I decided to activate my werewolf gene, she basically disowned me. We've barely talked since then."

"Oh," Diana sucked in her breath. "Sorry."

"That's okay," Selina shrugged. "You didn't know."

Just then, Elijah came in and shut the door behind him. He saw the article the paper was turned to and put a hand on Selina's shoulder. "I was going to tell you about your mother," he said. "But it must've slipped my mind."

"It's all right," Selina reassured him. "I'll be able to deal. If we can get her body back, I'll probably have to talk to Jake about setting up a funeral. If I give her one of those, I'll end up the better person between the two of us."

"That's not what this should be about," Elijah chided her. "Your mother is dead."

"I know," Selina replied. "I saw her recently. I was civil. We ended things on an okay note, and that's good enough for me. If your father died, you'd feel the same. Admit it."

Elijah sighed. He knew she was right, but he'd never admit it. "I still think you should at least mourn for the relationship you _would have had_ if things had turned out differently," he said. "Haven't you ever thought of that?"

"We had a good relationship at one point," Selina replied. "I barely remember it, though. It ended just as I was starting to really be able to remember things. That was the year I nearly activated my werewolf gene and Mama's best friend died. That's what changed her, I think." She sighed. "All right. I'll never be able to mourn the person she was, but I'll feel bad for the person she could have been. It's the best I can do."

"Good," Elijah told her and kissed her head. "At least that's something."

"Are you worried people are gonna come after you too?" Diana asked. "Now that they've gotten your mother?"

"Probably," Selina nodded. "But I brought it on myself, so I'll deal with it, whatever happens."

Just then, the phone rang and Selina answered it. "Hello?" She said.

"Hi, Grandma!" Addie replied. "I just wanted to let you know that we're having a talent night at Enid's and Sam is gonna play. I really think he'd like it if you came."

"Well, thanks for telling me!" Selina replied. "I sure will be there. What time does it start?"

"They start letting people in at seven-thirty, and the show starts at eight," Addie replied. "Thanks for coming. I'm sure it'll be a nice surprise for Sam. Do you have his father's number?"

Giving Elijah a look, Selina gave Addie Damon's number and then hung up. Diana and Joey left soon after.

"Who was that?" Elijah asked once they were gone. "Your uncle calling about your mother's funeral arrangements?"

"No," Selina shook her head. "Addie calling to tell me that Sam's gonna be playing at Enid's tonight. I'm gonna go to support him. And since Damon's gonna be there too, I assume you want to come with me, even though you and I both know you'll hate it?"

"Yes," Elijah replied immediately. "What time do we leave?"

"The doors open at seven-thirty," Selina replied. "And it probably wouldn't be best for you to wear a suit. Wear a pair of your jeans instead."

"And I'll make sure to go outside and put dirt on them," he told her wryly. "And maybe some beer stains on a t-shirt. I know I'll fit in better that way."

"Ha ha," Selina replied flatly. "You're so funny." She tapped his bottom. "Go get dressed," he said. "And let me see what you're wearing before we leave so I can make sure it's appropriate."

"So pushy," Elijah replied, but went and changed into jeans and a t-shirt anyway. "This good enough?" He asked her. She looked it over. "Yes," she replied, noting his plain dark green shirt and jeans. "If you don't mind those possibly getting stained, it's perfect."

"Now how long is it until we leave?" Elijah asked.

"We still have a few hours yet," Selina replied. "So hold your horses. When it's time for us to go, I'll tell you."

"Wonderful," Elijah replied. "I can't wait."

* * *

><p>"Are you gonna come with me to see Sam sing?" Damon asked Lucy.<p>

"Why not?" Lucy asked. "I need a place to wear the new leather mini-skirt I bought."

Damon started. "You bought a _what?"_

"Don't look so shocked," Lucy replied. "I dress like that sometimes."

"Well, not often enough!" Damon replied. "Let me see it!"

Rolling her eyes, Lucy went to change into the outfit she planned on wearing to the club. When she appeared again in black hose, black stilettos, her mini skirt and a tight shirt with a pattern of multicolored diamonds on it, Damon's jaw dropped to the floor.

"So you agree that this is appropriate dress for a club?" Lucy grinned.

"Uh-huh," Damon nodded. "Sure." He took her in his arms and he kissed her. "You look so...hot," he said. "I won't be able to focus on Sam at all."

"All right," Lucy nodded. "I'll keep my coat on over my outfit."

"Really?" Damon asked. "You-you're okay with me paying attention to Sam?"

"Of course," Lucy nodded. "In this case, anyway. It's his night to perform and he deserves an audience."

"Maybe after he's done you could get up there and give us a dance?" Damon asked hopefully.

"Not there in front of everyone," Lucy replied. "But I wouldn't be against doing it for you in a more private setting." She grinned. Damon took her in his arms and backed her up against the wall, kissing her deeply as his hands sneaked under her sweater, unhooking her bra. "No," Lucy pulled away with a gasp as she felt his warm fingers on her breasts. "We can't do this now. We'll miss the show."

"Yeah," Damon nodded, his cheeks flushed. "The show, right. You do up your bra again and we'll leave before we completely forget why we're supposed to be going."

Lucy re-hooked her bra and they went to Damon's car. He sat in the driver's seat and she sat in the back, and they drove to Enid's in silence, parking the car and immediately heading in for a drink. They'd just put their empty glasses down when Lucy heard a voice behind her.

"Lucy? What are you doing here?" She turned, her eyes widening at the sight of her uncle dressed so casually. "Uncle Elijah?" She said in surprise. "I think I have the same question for you."

"He's here to chaperone," her mother replied. "He wants to keep a close eye on Damon and me."

"Oh, you don't have to worry," Damon chuckled and urged Lucy to stand up from the bar stool. "Why would I want to go after your wife when I came here with a woman who looks like this in my backseat?"

Elijah looked over Lucy's outfit and paled before he punched Damon in the face and the younger vampire fell to the ground. "What was that for?" Lucy asked her uncle.

"How could he get you to dress like that?" Elijah asked her. "How could he be so perverted?"

"_He_ didn't make me dress like this!" Lucy exclaimed. "It was my idea. I chose to!" She helped Damon up and held on to him. "What is the matter with you, Uncle Elijah?"

"He's had a bit more to drink than you," Selina replied, trying to hustle Elijah away. "Sorry. Nice to see you." They got away and Selina prayed the show would start before Elijah got the urge to start any more fights. "What the hell was that?" She asked Elijah angrily when they were far enough away from the other pair.

"Did you see how she was dressed?" Elijah gestured wildly. "I don't believe it. The things he must make her do!"

"She's more covered up than I am when I play Miss Stinson for you," Selina pointed out. "You're being hypocritical again. Lucy's not even your daughter!"

"You're right," Elijah replied. "Klaus would have ripped Damon's voice box out. I was much more merciful!"

"Just don't," Selina replied. "Let's have as nice an evening as we can and then after Sam's performed, we'll go home, okay?"

"All right," Elijah replied. "I'm sorry."

Luckily for Selina, Enid came out at that point to begin the talent competition.

"What a great crowd tonight!" She cried. "Who's ready to have some fun?"

The whole bar cheered.

"Wonderful," she said. "Let's get this party started with a very talented young woman named Rose Fischer playing piano. Give her a big hand, everyone!"

Rose Fischer and everyone following her went by in a blur until finally, Enid announced, "our next contestant is Sam Salvatore, playing guitar!" Selina let out a whistle and cheered for her son and much of the audience followed suit. Sam appeared soon after and sat down on a stool with his guitar. "Hey there, everyone," he said. "I'm gonna play a song for a special lady. I hope she knows who she is." He started strumming his guitar and singing Nickelback's 'Trying Not To Love You': "You call me, and I fall at your feet, how could anyone ask for more? And our time apart, like knives in my heart, how could anyone ask for more?" Addie had been in the kitchen cleaning dishes, but she was done just in time to come out for the last verse: "...That trying not to love you only went so far, trying not to need you, was tearing me apart. Now I see the silver lining, what we're fighting for, and if we just keep trying, we could be so much more. 'Cause trying not to love you, oh, yeah, trying not to love you, only makes me want you more." He finished the song and then noticed Addie watching him with tears in her eyes behind the curtain. He gestured for her to come out on the stage, and when she came out, he put an arm around her, and gave her a kiss on the cheek as she returned his embrace amidst the cheers of the audience, including his mother and father, who, for the first time in what seemed like forever, were paying attention only to him.

* * *

><p>"Well, that didn't go as well as I'd hoped," Selina grouched at Elijah as they came through the door.<p>

"I don't know why you expected better when Damon and I were gonna be in the same room," Elijah told her.

"I'm just saying that you could have tried," Selina told him. "You're older, you should be more mature. How is it that you can be that way most of the time, but when confronted with the idea of me and either Damon or Klaus in the same room, you turn into a jealous, whiny toddler?"

"I don't have to answer that," Elijah replied stiffly. Just then, the phone rang and he went to answer it with a testy "What do you want?"

"Daddy?" Laura asked from the other end of the line. "What's the matter? Are you okay?"

"Oh, Laura!" Elijah replied. "My dear, I apologize. I've just had a trying last few hours is all. Your mother dragged me to that talent night at Enid's so she could see Sam perform."

Selina heard this and cried back, "That's a lie! You were the one who insisted on coming!"

"What was that?" Laura asked. "I heard noise on your end.

"It was nothing," Elijah told her. "So, what's going on in your life?"

"I got my acceptance letter from one of the beauty schools I applied to," Laura told him. "I start in August, which is just going to work out perfectly."

"Well, that's wonderful!" Elijah told her. "Laura, I am so proud of you. What do you want for a reward? A new car?"

"No, I don't need anything like that," Laura replied. "But thank you, anyway."

"All right," Elijah nodded. "But when you _do_ need something, just know you can tell me, all right?"

"All right," Laura replied. "Thank you, Daddy. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, darling," Elijah replied. He turned off the phone and joined Selina in the living room. "It seems your children are full of accomplishments," he said. "Laura's been accepted to beauty school."

"That's great," Selina replied. "I'll have to call her myself later."

They stood in silence after that. Then Elijah said, "I'm gonna get out of these clothes and go to bed. Feel free to join me when you want."

"All right," Selina replied. "Don't wait up for me."

"Fine," Elijah replied. "I'll see you when I see you."


	16. When The Lights Go Out

"Addie?" Sam asked when he opened the door and saw her standing on the other side. "Everything okay-ooof!" She knocked him to the floor and began to kiss him. "Hey, hey, hey!" He said, making it seem as if he wanted her to back off him. "What is going on?"

"I-I don't want to talk right now," Addie replied between kisses. "Just go with this, please."

"All right," Sam nodded and took her to bed where they resumed kissing and Sam's jeans were unzipped in preparation for the sex he assumed would come next. When they finally caught a breath, Sam said, "Sorry we can't go any farther than this. Your mother would kill me."

"Actually my mother encouraged me to go farther. My biological one, anyway."

"What?" Sam asked.

"My parents are not my parents," Addie told him. "In fact, I'm not even a vampire. I'm a goddamn witch!"

"No, you're not!" Sam replied, kissing her hair. "You can have a bad day sometimes, but you're no witch."

"Yes, I am!" Addie nodded insistently. Everything else was just a spell Aunt Enid put on me. I'm freaking out, and I don't know what to do, and I'm sorry if I'm not in the mood for foreplay, but-" Sam kissed her again. "Okay, okay," he said, panting as he looked down at her and pulled her shirt up over her head, and her skirt down her hips. "Just relax," he said. "I'll fix everything."

"All-all right," she breathed. "Sure. Go ahead." Once she was undressed, he moved her to the living room carpet (cause what little sense of gentlemanly behavior he had in him would not let him have sex with her on a hard floor, no matter how eager both of them were), then he removed his shirt, got to his knees, and leaned down to kiss her, while she reached up to run her hands over his abs.

He smiled and took one of her hands, kissing her fingers and she laughed, even if it was brief. "Have you ever done this before?" He whispered.

"You mean sex?" Addie asked. "Yeah. Lots of times." She paused. "You're not offended by that, are you?"

"No," Sam replied. "I'm sure my history is even more illustrious than yours. I just...I didn't want to overdo it if you weren't prepared."

"Well, thanks," she smiled and kissed_ him_ this time, and he felt warmth inside him as her tongue slipped between his lips, her fingers threading through his hair. Then, he fell forward on top of her (she'd been sitting up while they were kissing) and left all caution to the wind, entering her with his tongue in a very thorough way, and when she moaned his name, it was different than usual, not just the sense of another conquest, but pleasure that he was genuinely making her happy, which was a new sensation for him. He kissed the inside of her thighs, then paused a moment before he pushed into her, which caused her to let out a yell, and, to his surprise, plunge the room into darkness at the same time.

"Are-are you all right, Addie?" He asked, feeling dazed. She sat up and put her arms around him. "What the hell just happened?"

"I don't know," Sam replied. Grateful that he hadn't taken his pants off, he zipped them up and went to the window, seeing that his neighbor's lights were still on. "Well, that's weird," he told Addie. "We seem to be the only ones without power. Let me get a flashlight."

"All right," Addie nodded. "But be careful."

Thankful his father was out so he wouldn't have to explain the embarrassing situation, Sam went to the kitchen and rifled around in all the drawers for a flashlight. He finally found one and turned it on, thinking to himself that even a tiny amount of light was better than none at all.

When he made his way back to Addie, she'd covered herself with a blanket and was sitting on the sofa. "Thanks," she said when he came to sit beside her.

"For what?" Sam asked. "The sex? Cause I didn't plan on this happening, honestly."

"Well, yeah," Addie nodded. "And this is okay. Not just the sex, but the song too. It's the first time someone's done that for me. It was beautiful, so thank you."

"You're welcome," Sam replied. "I'm glad you liked it and weren't horribly embarrassed by having some nutty guy with a guitar tell a bar full of people that he loves you."

"Why would that embarrass me?" Addie asked. "It's nice to know someone does." They sat talking until the clock chimed the hour and Addie shined the flashlight on it. "I gotta go!" She cried. "It's almost my curfew. I'm gonna be late! She dressed quickly and gave Sam a fleeting kiss. "This was fun," she said. "We should do it again sometime."

"Yeah, we should," Sam called after her retreating back. "Just let me know when!"

* * *

><p>"You know," Vince told Roxie, "I think you and I deserve a break."<p>

"You mean like a vacation?" Roxie asked. "It's been awhile since we've had one of those."

"So where should we go?" Vince asked. "You pick."

"No, you should," Roxie told him. "You always let me and this time, I think you should."

"All right," Vince nodded with a grin. "Let me think."

Just then, Addie strode in. She was about a half-hour late.

"Young lady," Vince said, coming to meet her. "Why didn't you call?"

"I-I'm sorry, Daddy!" She said, bursting into tears and hugging him. "I'll try to be on time from now on. I love you!" She then ran off and Vince gave Roxie a look. "What the hell was that about?" He asked. "Do you think she did something bad? What if one of those boyfriends of hers finally got her pregnant?"

"I hope that didn't happen," Roxie replied. "I think that if it was that, she'd try to be more sneaky, though. I'll talk to her. Maybe she'll tell me more than she told you."

Vince nodded and Roxie went up to Addie's room, knocking on the door. "Hon?" She called. "It's your mother. May I come in?"

"Yes," Addie replied, her voice still sniffly. "Sure, why not?"

Roxie went inside and went to sit beside Addie on her bed, putting her arms around her. "What's the matter?" She asked. "Are you okay?"

"No," Addie shook her head. "Not really. I'm really, really confused about everything now."

"Well, that's reasonable for someone your age," Roxie replied. "You'll get it all sorted out eventually."

"It'll take awhile," Addie replied. "I just had a big shock!"

"What sort of shock?" Roxie asked. "You've started your period already, you know about sex...are you pregnant? I said to your dad that you might be."

"No," Addie wiped her nose with her hand. "It's not that. Sam and I have been careful. And he can't get me pregnant anyway."

"Sam?" Roxie asked. "How could you be having sex with Sam? I told you it was a bad idea. You're related for god's sake!"

"No," Addie shook her head. "We're not. That's the big shock I just had!"

"Of course you and Sam are related!" Roxie replied. "You're both descended from my mother."

"Apparently not," Addie replied. "If Aunt Enid was telling the truth, that is. She said...she said that Joey and I are really the kids of her and her boyfriend, and she just had you have us so she wouldn't lose either of us to Hazel. She said I'm a witch, Mom."

"No," Roxie replied firmly. "No, you're not! I don't know where she'd get off telling you things like that that are just complete lies!"

"Well, it might not be a _complete_ lie," Addie replied. "When Sam and I were together, things got really intense, and then the light-bulbs sort of...exploded, and the power went out, but his next door neighbors still had their lights working."

"And you think the lights went out because you're magical," Roxie told her flatly.

"Yeah," Addie replied. "I think so!"

Rolling her eyes, Roxie got up from Addie's bed and strode out of the room.

"Are you all right?" Vince asked as he saw the look on Roxie's face. "What happened with Addie?"

"Come along with me to Enid's," Roxie replied. "Then you'll see."

"All right," Vince replied. "But just for my own peace of mind, Addie's not pregnant, is she?"

"No," Roxie shook her head. "It's worse than that."

Vince's eyes widened, but he grabbed his coat anyway and followed Roxie to her car.

* * *

><p>"They're beautiful children," Owen told Enid as they watched video of her teaching baby Joey and baby Addie how to walk. "You were lucky to be able to spend so much time with them."<p>

"Yeah, I was," Enid replied. "And I wish you could have been there with me. If I would have told you about them, would you have come?"

"Well, yes!" Owen nodded. "Of course. But at the same time, as I've always told you, I understand why you couldn't have me here for too long. I wasn't ready to fight back then, but now I am. It took me seeing my children to realize how important fighting Hazel is, even if things don't turn out well for us. At least I can say we tried." He laughed gently as Addie took a few unstable steps and fell on her face, bursting into tears, as Enid took hold of her. "Poor girl," he said. "But she seems to have grown up reasonably well."

"Yeah," Enid nodded. "She's a good girl." She paused. "What do you mean by _reasonably well_?" She asked, feeling offended.

"Well, you have to realize that if you and I had raised them together, Addie wouldn't be the way she is now," Owen replied.

"Let me guess: you'd have her be conventional," Enid said. "Wearing dresses and getting A's in school, using her magic sparingly so that the human population wouldn't pick up on it. That's not necessary. We're not in the burning times anymore."

But before Owen could reply, there was a sharp knock at the door, followed by a loud yell. "Enid!" Roxie cried. "I know you're in there. We have to talk. Addie said you've been talking to her about things and I want to know where you get off telling her lies about herself!"

Enid was about to go answer the door when it burst open and Roxie strode in, with Vince following behind her. Before Enid could move, Roxie grabbed her by the throat. Enid choked for a few seconds, and then Roxie dropped her as pain shot through the hybrid's head.

Enid stood up, massaging her throat as she looked down at the writhing woman. She then ended the spell and ordered Vince to help Roxie up. "We can talk about this like calm, civil people can't we?" She asked, eying Vince.

"Yes," Vince nodded, urging Roxie to a chair. "Of course."

"Are these two the people who've raised our children?" Owen asked Enid.

"Yes," Enid replied. "Roxie, Vince, this is Owen, the love of my life and the father of my children."

"Shut up!" Roxie yelled. "They aren't yours!"

"Yes, they are," Enid replied. "And I'm sorry I didn't tell you from the first. The potion I gave Vince before you got pregnant, Roxie, was not the typical potion I give people. It had Owen's sperm and my eggs in it, and after it was ingested, and the two of you had sex, _it_ is what got you pregnant. Sort of a magical surrogacy situation. I later put spells on the kids to make their magical powers dormant and make them the same species as you instead, until it was time for Owen to come back, and by that point, the spells on them would start to wear off. Of course, what happened to Joey at his birth was an unforeseen complication, but it seems to be working itself out nicely."

"You _bitch!"_ Roxie yelled. "You've been lying to us all these years!"

"If I'd told you the truth, you wouldn't have wanted to take my kids in, would you?" Enid asked.

"Maybe we would have!" Roxie replied. "But you didn't trust us enough to ask!"

"I'm sorry," Enid apologized. "Really. I only did what I did to save my children from being hurt by my sister. You've done that for Joey all these years. Can't you understand why I did what I did?"

"Yes," Vince said quietly, after a moment. "We understand. And thank you for trusting us with your children."

"You're welcome," Enid replied.

"They're still more ours then anything," Roxie told her. "You don't just get to keep them!"

"However," Vince replied. "We were thinking of going on a vacation, the first one we've had in months. While we're gone, you wouldn't mind checking up on them occasionally, would you?"

"Of course," Owen replied, shaking Vince's hand. "We'd be honored."

* * *

><p>"It's your mother's funeral today," Elijah reminded Selina when he found her undressed in bed. "How come you're not dressed yet?" He straightened his red tie, which was in contrast to his black suit.<p>

"Why should I have to go?" Selina replied. "She doesn't _deserve_ to have me mourn her!"

"What about your father?" Elijah asked. "You love him, don't you? I'm sure he'd love to have your support."

Selina sighed and sat up, getting out of bed to rifle around in her closet. "Fine," she said. "I'll come. But for Daddy, only. Not for my mother."

"All right," Elijah replied. "Whatever will get you dressed!"

She pulled out a black dress and started removing her pajamas, pausing when she noticed Elijah was watching her intently. "May I help you?" She asked. "Is there any special reason why you're watching me? I wouldn't have thought you had it in you to be horny right before my mother's funeral!"

"It's not that!" Elijah replied, blushing a brilliant shade of scarlet. "I just want to make sure that you do what you said you were gonna do, and won't just crawl back into bed the moment my back is turned."

"Oh, all right," Selina sighed. "I guess I deserve that." She grabbed a new pair of underwear and a bra and went into the bathroom to change them before slipping on her dress, hose, and a pair of shoes. "It would just give me such a chuckle to go barelegged to my mother's funeral," she said. "But it's a little chilly today, unfortunately, so I can't." Then she twirled. "Do I look all right?" She asked. "Or should I change before I go put my hair up?"

"No, that's appropriate," Elijah replied, eying her dress, which was dark purple with a silver thread around the waist. "You look very nice."

"Well, thank you," Selina replied.

"I don't need to zip you up or anything, do I?" Elijah asked.

"No," Selina replied, and showed him the back of the dress. "It just slips on, but thank you for offering."

"You're welcome," Elijah replied. "Let's go."

They then got in the car and drove to Selina's father's house where he was hosting the small group of people who had reason to mourn Amelia's passing. Because she was murdered, the police still had her body (what interesting surprises they would find!), so her service was more a remembrance of her life than a literal funeral. When her father opened the door to Selina and Elijah's knock, she could barely gather her breath to say 'Hi' before her father took her into his arms and gave her a hug. He'd clearly been crying and was making no effort to hide it. He shook Elijah's hand with the hand he had free, then led the pair of them into the house.

"It was a very sudden thing, what happened to Amelia," he said as he collapsed into a chair and Selina put a hand on his shoulder. "We hadn't gotten along for awhile, but I wouldn't wish anything like this on her." He took Selina's hand. "Thanks for coming, in spite of the difficulties you and your mother had with each other. I can't help but think things would have been better between you two if I'd been around."

"Probably," Selina replied. "But it's no use worrying about it now, when you can't change it." She paused. "Are you at all worried about what the police are gonna say if they examine Mama's body?"

"I thought about that," Matthew replied. "I don't think we'll have anything to worry about, but if it would make you more comfortable, we can steal her body and bury it here privately."

"If you decide to do that, she won't be helping," Eliah told Matthew firmly. "It's a need Selina had to root around in graves that got her mother murdered in the first place. We don't want to encourage it."

"What?" Matthew asked.

"I-I might have done something that led to Mama being killed," Selina confessed. "But when I did it, I had no idea they would go after Mama afterward. It's a werewolf feud, Daddy. They got Uncle Jake killed way back when, so to avenge him, I defiled some of the family members' graves, and..."

"Selina Elizabeth Amelia Warren!" Matthew interrupted in shock. "Why would you do something like that?"

"I told you!" Selina replied. "Vengeance!"

"Oh, good lord!" Matthew put a hand on his forehead. "From now on, you're staying out of this," he told her finally. "You've done enough damage already."

"All right," Selina sighed. "I'm sorry, Daddy. Do you want me to go home?"

"Yeah," Matthew nodded. "Maybe you'd better. But thanks for making the effort to come in the first place."

"You're welcome," Selina replied, feeling full of shame. She gave her father a quick kiss and she and Elijah headed back to his car.


	17. Hiding Out

"All right," Selina said when she and Elijah were settled in their bedroom after getting back from her father's. "If you want, you can yell at me too."

Elijah sighed. "I know I should," he said. "If it was anyone other than you, I_ would _be yelling, but I think you've made me soft. Cause when I look at you now, and you're staring back with those big, sad blue eyes of yours, I don't want to yell."

"You don't?" Selina asked. "Why not?"

Elijah came to sit next to her and take her in his arms. "Cause I can tell you're full of enough shame already without me adding to it. Am I correct?"

"Yeah," Selina nodded, laying her head on his shoulder. "You're correct."

He put his fingers under her chin so she was looking into his eyes and then he kissed her.

"That was nice," she breathed. "Would you do it again?"

"Yes," Elijah grinned. "As often as you'd like."

"Like right now?" Selina asked, looking hopeful. Elijah just laughed and kissed her again before taking her to bed and getting out of his clothes while she watched him intently.

"What a great view," she whispered when he came back to bed and undressed her.

"You think so?" He replied and nibbled on her ear. "You're welcome, then." He eased her back oto the mattress, his hands running down her body before she felt one slip between her thighs. As she peered up at him, she saw he was grinning at her wickedly. She let out a squeak and grinned. "Wow," she said. "I didn't think you'd wanna do this today," and then breathed. "I would have thought you'd tell me I should spend the day grieving."

She let out a moan and he kissed her. "Well, as you pointed out," he said, "you really have no reason to grieve for your mother anyway, so why should I make you when we could devote our time to more pleasant things?"

"Exactly!" She replied, eyes wide. "That's the speech I was gonna give _you_!"

He just smiled and kissed her, his fingers threading through her dark hair. Then, he stroked her breasts before pushing into her, her arms digging into his back hard enough to draw a small amound of blood.

After they, panting with exhaustion, pulled apart from each other, they lie with their hands entwined until they finally found the strength to sit up.

"Do you have to meet your father today?" Selina asked him. "Or are you all mine?"

"I told him that I had to support you today," Elijah told her. "He scoffed, of course, but nothing more than that."

"Good," Selina replied. "So what do you want to do for the rest of the day?"

Elijah gave her a look, then his gaze shifted to the bed.

"What a question for me to ask!" Selina replied. "We can stay in here at least until the kids get home. I'm up for it if you are."

And Elijah nodded, taking her chin in his hand. "Of course I am," he replied. "It was _my_ idea."

* * *

><p>"Okay, you two," Selina told Margaret and Henry as she ushered them into the house. "Homework first, remember. Then you can watch TV or something, whatever you like." Then she looked at Henry. "Sorry your father is having issues again, but we're glad to have you here."<p>

"Thanks," Henry nodded. "Yeah, Daddy is upset that Jonathan Putnam was released for good this time."

"Who's he?" Margaret asked.

"A _criminal_, remember?" Henry rolled his eyes, tapping Margaret gently on the forehead "I told you before!"

"You did, didn't you?" Margaret said, realizing it. She paused. "Do you think it's weird that Emily wanted to have Tristan at her house instead of coming here with us?"

"Why?" Henry asked. "Are you upset about that?"

"No," Margaret replied. "I just think it's weird cause she used to come home with us all the time."

"Well, maybe making friends with Tristan made her feel better so that she doesn't need us as much anymore," Henry hypothesized.

"Well, that's good," Margaret replied. "Then it's just you and me again."

At that point, Felix the cat came slinking in. "Hi, cat!" Henry said, leaning down to pet him. The cat hissed and gave Henry a scratch, which led him to pull his hand back and swear.

"Are you okay?" Margaret asked in surprise, and when Felix tried to cuddle up against her, she shooed him away. "Bad cat!" She scolded. "You hurt Henry, so no cuddling for you!"

Felix eyed Henry resentfully, then ate some of his cat food before spitting up a hairball and slinking off.

"We should probably get to work," Margaret replied and sat down, pulling her homework out of her bag. "We don't have too much to do. We'll get it done fast."

"I have to do one thing first," Henry replied and made the hairball disappear. Then, he got out his books, paper, and pencils, and sat down next to Margaret, beginning to write out the letters A, B, and C.

"Do you need help?" Margaret asked.

"No," Henry replied. "Thank you. I'm fine. Considering that my daddy couldn't write at my age, I'm doing pretty good."

Margaret peered at what he was writing. His letters were a little crooked, but she could at least tell what they were. Resisting her impulse to correct him, she just smiled. "Good job," she praised him.

"Thank you," Henry replied, surprised, as being corrected had been what he'd been waiting for. Finally, they finished a page each of the three letters, as well as a math worksheet, and then Henry stood up, zapping his and Margaret's papers into their bags. "We need a break now," he said and went into the kitchen, magicking them both an ice cream sundae. He gave Margaret extra cherries and then they sat down to eat them just in time for Tristan and Emily to come striding in.

"Sundaes!" Emily exclaimed, seeing them. "Can I have one?"

"Sure!" Henry replied. "Let me get the stuff out again." He went back to the kitchen and got all the materials out, quickly making a sundae for Emily with his magic. "That is so cool!" She said as she watched, her eyes wide. He handed it to her when it was finished and then looked at Tristan. "You want one too?"

"I think I can make it myself," Tristan replied. When Emily reached the table, Margaret looked at her severely. "You didn't tell your daddy that Henry can do magic, right?"

"No!" Emily shook her head and looked fondly at Henry. "It's our secret."

"And you better not!" Margaret continued. "Otherwise, they'll burn him at the stake and it'll be all your fault!"

"They won't do that now," Henry assured her. "They did when my daddy was little, but now they'd probably just think that whoever told was crazy."

"I promise I won't tell," Emily assured Margaret. "I swear." Then she lapsed into silence as Tristan came in with his sundae and didn't speak again until it was all gone.

* * *

><p>A week or so later, Elijah had to spend the day with his father, which was good for Selina cause she had a surprise in mind for him. Once he'd left, she called a high-end catering service and hired them to come set out a meal for her and Elijah as a surprise. They told her they were free to come a couple of days later, and she made plans, hanging up and feeling extremely pleased with herself.<p>

The night the caterers were to come, she said, "wear one of your really nice suits for dinner, okay? I mean, not that that would be atypical for you, but..."

"Is something going on?" Elijah asked her, eyebrow raised. "Normally you encourage me to dress _down_."

"You'll find out tonight," Selina winked. "Be in your tux by eight. And I'm sending the kids out so we'll have the house to ourselves tonight."

Curious, Elijah tried to get more information out of her, but surprisingly, she wouldn't budge. Finally, he gave up for the time being and went to his office.

By eight, though, he went to change into his tux as Selina had asked, and from the bedroom he could hear people talking outside, Selina's voice mixed with theirs. Hers was the only one he recognized, but just as he was about to go out and see who was in his house, Selina came into the room. She was wearing a black and silver sleeveless cocktail dress and her hair was up.

"Wow," he said, feeling floored. "You look wonderful."

"Well, thank you," Selina replied and straightened his bow tie. "And same to you!"

"Listen," he said. "I hear people outside. Should I be worried about the valuables?"

"No," Selina replied. "It's part of your surprise. Everything is ready now, but you have to keep your eyes shut until I say."

"All right," Elijah replied. He closed his eyes and let her lead him to the dining room where the catering staff had set up a table for two. She helped him into his chair and sat down across from him. "Okay," she said eagerly as a waiter came with a glass of wine for him. "Open your eyes!"

Elijah opened his eyes and gasped. The dining room was dimly lit and he was very surprised to see the catering staff scurrying in and out of the kitchen. "These people," he said in amazement. "They are...?"

"Caterers," Selina replied. "I really didn't feel like cooking today and thought it would be fun to do something a bit different."

"Well, I'm stunned," Elijah replied. "I thought you didn't believe in having people serve you anymore."

Selina grinned. "I decided to make an exception just this once. Do you like your surprise? I forgot what we're having for a main course, but dessert are these cherry cheesecake tarts that are supposed to be wonderful!"

Elijah grinned and leaned forward to kiss her. "Leave it to you to forget dinner but still remember dessert," he told her fondly. "And yes, I _love_ my surprise. Very much. Thank you, darling."

Selina picked up her wineglass and toasted him as the main caterer came out to explain the menu for the night (which turned out to be veal), and took a sip before nodded. "You're very welcome," she replied, straightening the wrinkles from her skirt, even though she knew it would be even _more_ wrinkled after Elijah ripped it off her later that night and it landed at the foot of the bed.

* * *

><p>"I have a question," Laura asked Edward as she ate her third bowl of Lucky Charms. "Would you do me a favor?"<p>

Edward winced at the piece of cereal that was stuck to the side of her mouth and gestured at her to wipe it off. Once she had, and he was feeling much less disgusted, he nodded. "Of course," he replied. "Anything."

"I was just wondering how long it had been since you'd gotten a haircut," Laura replied, coming to run her fingers through his fluffy brown hair. "If you needed a trim, I could do it for you."

"No, thanks," Edward replied. "I have someone already. You don't need to trouble yourself."

"Oh, come on!" Laura cried. "If I'm gonna be a hair stylist, I have to practice on someone. And you're my husband, so _please_?"

"There was nothing in our marriage vows about me allowing you to give me potentially disastrous haircuts!" Edward countered. "Once you've gone to beauty school and are licensed, then yes, you may get at my hair all you like, but for now, no touching!"

Just then, he saw Laura's lip jut out and she started to cry. "You don't trust me!" She sobbed. "You don't want me to have a career and be successful either! You just want me to stay home with the kid and that's all!" She stomped off and when he tried to follow, punched him in the jaw.

"I don't think that was called for!" He yelled.

"Bite me!" She yelled back.

"Okay, I'm sorry!" He called. "I'll let you cut my hair."

"Too late!" Laura replied. "You missed your chance, Mr. Meanie Man!" He then remembered the half-eaten bowl of cereal she'd left on the table. Figuring she wouldn't come back for it, he went to dump it in the sink and wipe off the counter.

* * *

><p>The ride to school was spent in uncomfortable silence, and then when Edward parked the car in the parking lot, Laura bounded ahead of him. He started to try and catch up with her, but then decided he'd better not. He let her go, and then went to meet her at her locker.<p>

"I repeat," he said. "I'll let you cut my hair."

"You don't mean that," she said. "You're just saying it so I won't be mad at you anymore. How stupid do you think I am?"

"I don't think you're stupid at all," Edward replied. "I just...I'm sorry, all right? You caught me off guard."

"What you mean is that I didn't give you time to come up with a good excuse," Laura replied.

Edward rolled his eyes, following Laura to her first class. "Do you really want to fight about this all day?" He asked.

"Maybe not," Laura replied, clinging to the door frame. "Let me have my space for the rest of the day and I'll think about it." She then went into the room, leaving Edward no choice but to head to accounting.

* * *

><p>When Laura saw Edward after her last class of the day, she sighed. "Hey," he said. "Do you need me to give you a ride home, or did you get Addie to take you?"<p>

"No," Laura shook her head. "I tried, but Addie is having issues right now and said she wouldn't be the best company. Apparently, it's something to do with Enid and her boyfriend, but I don't know what it could possibly be, since the pair of them seem so happy."

Just then, Addie came by. "I changed my mind," she said. "If you want me to drive you home, I will," she said.

"Oh, you don't have to!" Laura replied. "Not if you're having problems."

"I could really use a friend," Addie replied, then looked appealingly at Edward. "Mind if I steal your wife for awhile?"

"Go ahead," Edward replied. "If it's all right with her."

"All right," Laura replied, feeling a little let down. "Let's go, Addie. See you at home tonight, Edward."

They then headed to Addie's car and got inside. "So, what's going on?" Laura asked. "Are you okay? You've seemed a little off these past few days."

"Well, you would too if you found out you were basically adopted and your whole life was a lie," Addie replied.

"What?" Laura replied. "What do you mean?"

"Apparently, Joey and I are _Enid's_ kids!" Addie burst out. "Can you believe that?"

"What?" Laura asked, eyes wide. "You're kidding me!"

"No!" Addie replied with a vigorous shake of the head. "She really told me. Just blurted it out one day."

"So you're what? A witch? A vampire? A werewolf? All of them?" Laura wondered aloud.

"Just a witch," Addie replied. "I think."

"And Enid's boyfriend's your dad?" Laura continued. "Can I say that you've got a very hot dad?"

"I know, right?" Addie replied. "I had a crush on him when I first saw him, but this news ruins everything!" She paused. "I think I'll be able to handle it as long as I only see them in small doses and not all the time. I can do that. The only time I see them is at work, anyway."

It was then that Laura realized they hadn't yet moved from the nearly empty parking lot. "Sorry for breaking into your rant," she said. "But the parking lot's almost empty. Wanna put the pedal to the metal there, Addie?"

"Oh," Addie looked out the window and turned the car on. "Right," she said. "Sorry."

* * *

><p>"What do you mean you and Daddy are going on vacation?" Addie cried after she got back from dropping off Laura, found her mother packing, and asked why."You can't go now! Not after what just happened!"<p>

Roxie looked up from pairing up her socks and putting them in the suitcase. "That's sweet, hon. You've never expressed this desire to have us around before. Normally, you'd be shoving us out the door and plotting your next big party by now."

"I was wrong to do that!" Addie replied. "I appreciate you more now. Don't leave me with Aunt Enid and that guy!"

"You never know," Roxie replied. "You might like him. Give him a chance."

"But what should I say to Aunt Enid, though?" Addie asked.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to," Roxie replied. "But the deal is that your dad and I are going on our vacation and Enid and her boyfriend are gonna check on you every once in awhile, along with Joey if he happens to stop by, of course."

"I think I'm gonna stay with Sam," Addie declared. "He has enough room at his house."

"And where is it that he lives again?" Roxie asked. "Considering how late you were before, it has to be a distance from here. And I don't want you missing school. You can visit him, of course, but no staying over night."

"Fine," Addie huffed. "Whatever, Mom."

"Where are you going?" Roxie called after her.

"I think you know where!" Addie called back. "But I'll give you three guesses."

"What was that about?" Vince asked as he came into the room.

"She's mad about the vacation," Roxie replied. "Claims we're abandoning her in her hour of need. But I think this'll be good for us. And it'll be good for her to get to know...her birth parents."

Vince watched her, thinking she was going to cry, but she straightened up determinedly instead. "Have you started packing?" She asked.

"I was just about to," Vince replied. He peered at her pile of clothes. "Want me to get the suitcase?"

"Yeah," Roxie nodded. "Sure."

* * *

><p>"Addie!" Sam exclaimed in surprise. "You're back!"<p>

"I don't know why you're always so surprised to see me every time I come over," Addie told him as she came into the boarding house, a bag over her shoulder. "Should I be worried or offended?"

"No!" Sam shook his head. "No, you shouldn't. What's with the bag?"

Addie sighed. "My parents are going out of town for a bit and instead of staying at the house by myself, I thought I would come here. Is that a problem?"

"That depends," Sam replied. Addie's face fell. "On what?" She asked.

"Well, are you gonna blow out the electricity again?" Sam asked, one corner of his mouth up.

"I'll try not to," Addie replied, flushing. Sam took her bag and led her upstairs to his room. "You want the right side of the bed or the left? What spot on the bed do you like?"

Addie grinned. "Wherever I end up from being tired out after having sex all night is the best spot on the bed for me!"

This made Sam laugh out loud. "Very upfront about what you want," he said appreciatively. "I like that in a woman."

"Good," Addie smirked. "Cause it happens a lot." She then sauntered over and kissed him. He resisted out of surprise at first, but then relaxed into it, unzipping his pants and then helping her out of her panties before picking her up and anchoring her against the wall. Every so often, they would stop kissing so they could get a breath, but then they would go right back to it, and didn't completely stop until they heard a dry voice behind them.

"Not one for subtlety, are you, Sam?" Stefan asked, with Felicity looking on in shock behind him.

"You're one to talk," Sam replied without turning. "Do you mind? Or did we take your usual spot for doing stuff like this?" Stefan heard that, crossed his arms and smirked.

"And Addie, I can't believe you're doing that with him!" Felicity added, more in a tone of shock than judgment. "You're related!"

"No we're not," Addie replied. "I'm a witch, actually. So I can do this!" She tried to make them disappear, or turn into frogs are something, but she aimed wrong and just ended up making a hole in the opposite wall.

"You can make a hole in a wall?" Stefan replied. "Impressive. But just so you know, I can too, if I punch it hard enough."

"Whatever," Sam replied shortly. "This isn't a show so why don't the two of you go on your merry way and find your own atypical place to have sex with each other?"

"Fine," Stefan replied. "Just make sure the roof is still on when you're done, all right?"

"Very funny," Sam replied as the pair of them walked away. Then he lowered Addie to a standing position on the floor and gave her back her panties before zipping up. "That was fun," she said wryly. "Do you think we'll have to do it often?"

"With those two around?" Sam replied, dryly. "Sadly yes."


	18. An End To The Argument

"Roxie!" Selina said in surprise as she opened the door to her oldest daughter. Then she noticed she seemed kind of tense. "Come in!" She urged. "What's the matter?"

Roxie huffed and sat down. "I-I have something that I was planning on talking to Daddy about, but since he's not home, I'm here to talk to you. It's about Addie. And Joey too."

"Well, my next question was gonna be 'Is Addie pregnant', but sticking Joey in there ended *that* line of questioning," Selina said, coming to sit next to her. "So what's the problem?"

"You're not gonna believe it," Roxie replied. "I'm having trouble believing it myself, still. Enid told me just recently that Addie and Joey aren't my kids. That they're hers instead and she tricked us into having them."

"You know what?" Selina asked, pushing some of Roxie's hair out of her eyes. "I think-" then she paused. "Do you want my opinion, or are you just venting?"

"Whatever," Roxie replied. "You can keep talking if you want."

"All right then," Selina continued. "I think you're looking at this the wrong way. You were the one who gave birth to those kids. You took care of them all of their lives. They call you 'Mom' and 'Dad', they belong to you and Vince, all right? I mean, Addie and Joey haven't expressed a desire to call Enid 'Mom', have they?"

"No," Roxie shook her head and leaned against her mother. "Not yet. And they might not ever go beyond 'Aunt Enid'."

"There you go," Selina replied. "Just keep thinking of it that way, and I hope it'll get you through."

"Thanks," Roxie replied. "It was _not_ fun for this to happen right before Vince and I went on our vacation. It's all I'll think about."

"Well, have you tried talking to your dad?" Selina asked. "Maybe he can give you some insight I can't."

"I've tried," Roxie replied. "But he doesn't seem to be home. Maybe I'll ask Vince to delay the trip until Daddy and I can have our chat. That shouldn't be hard. I'll just tell Vince I won't be good company until I talk to Dad."

"Now don't be too rough on him," Selina chided her. "He's a good guy."

"Mom, if he's stuck with me up until now, I think he won't go anywhere, no matter what I do," Roxie pointed out.

Selina sighed. "Well, whatever works for you two. But I think you should go on your vacation to get your mind off of things. However, if you want to stay here and wait for your dad so the two of you can talk, that's all right too."

They sat in silence and Selina expected Roxie to just get up and leave, but to her surprise, Roxie kept talking. "Addie's pulling away from me. I think she wants to move out and live with Sam permanently."

"Sam?" Selina asked, eyes widened. "But he's related to..."

"No, he's not!" Roxie shouted. "Have you been paying any attention to our conversation these last few minutes at all?"

"Oh, right," Selina flushed a little. "Sorry. I have to play devil's advocate here, though: You went to live with Vince when you were Addie's age. Why are you so against her moving in with Sam?"

"Cause Joey's already gone!" Roxie replied. "That leaves me with no kids at home at all!"

"And what's the problem with that?" Selina asked. "Personally, I wouldn't mind an empty house every once in awhile. Not that I don't love the half a dozen kids your uncle and I had. Take this as an opportunity. It's not something bad. It's a _good_ thing that Addie and Joey want to move on with their lives."

Roxie sighed. "Fine, I guess," she said. "You might be right."

"You know, I'm really surprised," Selina told her. "Based on how much you hated being pregnant, I honestly have always thought that you would have pushed Addie and Joey out the door at the earliest opportunity."

"Well, you're wrong, aren't you?" Roxie replied. "I think I'm gonna go."

"All right," Selina called. "And are you still gonna try and talk to your dad before you go?"

"Well, yeah," Roxie called as she headed out. "Duh!"

"Was that Roxanne?" Elijah asked once Roxie had gone.

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "As usual, we had a delightful little chat. Well, actually it _did_ start out well. She was actually opening up to me. But, as usual, I went and said something that she thought was wrong, so she went stomping off and is now going to ask Klaus for advice instead."

"I always wondered how good he was at giving advice to her," Elijah mused. "What do you think?"

"I would think it wouldn't be so good, but whatever he tells her, it's obviously stuff she finds worth listening to," Selina replied.

"What problem was so bad she came running to you?" Elijah asked. "And please don't take that the wrong way."

"Oh, I don't," Selina replied. "And it wasn't that she wanted to talk to me. It was that she _had_ to because apparently, she doesn't realize her dad is home yet. She'll find out soon, though. I wonder what Klaus will say when he finds out Addie is dating Sam? And she's probably sleeping with him too, although Roxie didn't tell me about that."

"Sam like the Sam we went to see perform the other night?" Elijah asked. He paused. "Wait, that girl he hugged after he did his number: that was Addie, wasn't it?"

"Yep," Selina nodded. "It was. Apparently, she and Joey are Enid's kids, Roxie just found out, and surprise, surprise, it's hitting her hard."

"Huh," Elijah replied. "You know, I never would have thought that."

"Me either," Selina replied. "But then again, Roxie's always been full of surprises. She said she and Vince are going on vacation and I think it'll be good for them."

"After a shock like that, I agree," Elijah replied. He then gave Selina another look. "How do you feel about Addie and Sam?"

"It's interesting to think about," Selina replied. "But I guess since they really aren't related, them being together isn't hurting anything. As long as Sam's happy, good for him. It's been awhile since he's had someone there for him, someone who cares. And if Addie will be that person, I'm not gonna judge."

* * *

><p>"You know," Lucy said to Damon. "For all the crap I give Sam, I<em> do <em>worry about him sometimes. He needs a girlfriend. We should get him one."

"You _were_ paying attention the night he did his song at the club, right?" Damon asked her. "That song he sang, it_ had _to be about someone. Maybe that girl he hugged at the end of it."

"I don't think so," Lucy replied. "Cause that's Roxie's daughter, so she and Sam wouldn't be together."

"Damn," Damon replied. "I was really sort of hoping, you know? I mean, from what I've heard about his brother, Joshua never had any trouble finding a steady girlfriend. He was married relatively quickly."

"Are you angling for more grandchildren?" Lucy asked. "Cause I don't think that will happen."

"No, not more grandchildren," Damon replied. "I just...Sam's never really had anyone to count on his whole life, and I want that for him, you know?"

"Yeah, I do," Lucy nodded. "So, where do you want to start the search for bachelorettes one, two, and three?"

"I don't know," Damon shrugged. "And I don't think I wanna take part in this cause I'm not sure it's a good idea."

"Of course it is," Lucy replied. "Sam will thank us when it's all over." She then looked at her watch. "Oh, I gotta go!" She said. "I'm meeting a friend of mine to talk about putting some of my paintings in her gallery.

"Be sure to pick that one of Sam being murdered a bunch of times and then invite him to come to opening night," Damon replied. "I'm sure he'd appreciate that."

"No," Lucy shook her head. "That one's not for display. That was just an expression of anger that no one besides you is ever gonna see."

"Ah," Damon smirked. "Okay, I get it." Lucy then went up to grab a few of her paintings and got Damon to help her load them into the car. She drove off after that and Damon went back into the house to get himself a drink, knowing that whatever Lucy had planned, Sam wasn't gonna like it.

* * *

><p>"Okay, okay, up, up, up!" Lucy ordered, striding into Sam's bedroom and pulling the curtains apart so that light could come in. Luckily, Addie had had to leave earlier for work at the bar and wasn't in bed with him at the time, cause he wouldn't have relished explaining why he, her brother, was in bed with the girl she thought of as her niece."<p>

"What?" Sam groaned. "This better be a life or death situation. Otherwise, I will be _very _unhappy!"

"Well, in a sense it is," Lucy replied. "I need your help."

"What?" Sam asked, sitting up. "Really? Why?"

"Well, my friend has this gallery, see," Lucy explained, throwing a shirt at him so he could put it on. "And she wants to expand, so she thought a good way to raise money would be to hold a bachelor auction. With that in mind, I thought I'd recommend you to her because, you know, you're good-looking and you play music. You could be worth a pretty penny."

Sam rubbed his eyes, put on the shirt, and glared at his sister. "Seriously?" he replied. "You volunteered me to be exhibited in front of a bunch of crazy women like a piece of meat? No thank you." He lay back down and Lucy pulled him back up. "I _didn't_ volunteer you," she said. "I told Anne that I'd ask you if you were interested."

"Well you tell her I'm not," Sam replied.

"Don't you get tired of living this way?" Lucy asked him. "Hopping from one woman to the next, having sex without forming any emotional ties with anyone? Wouldn't you like to have a dependable girlfriend for once in your life?" She paused. "It _is_ girls, right? I assumed cause of the affection you showed Addie after you played at that talent night."

"Of course it's girls!" Sam told her. "Now, why this sudden need to barge into my life all of a sudden?"

"Because I'm concerned!" Lucy replied. "I know you're not used to that and probably prefer for people to leave you alone, but I worry!"

"That's sweet," Sam told her. "But you don't have to. Trust me, everything is fine." He sighed. "I know I'm gonna regret telling you this, but...I have a girlfriend."

"You do?" Lucy replied. "Who is it?"

"I'm not telling you!" Sam replied irritably. "And now that I've ended your worries, you can go away!"

"All right, all right," Lucy said. "Geez, you don't have to be mean about it." She left, and after he dressed, Sam met Addie at the bar.

"I got a visit from my sister today," he told her as she brought him a beer. "She thinks I need a girlfriend and even wanted me to be in a bachelor auction to help her friend get money for a gallery she owns."

"Well, why don't you do it?" Addie asked. "It might be fun."

"But what about us?" Sam asked in surprise. "You can't tell me you _want_ me to go on a date with someone else. I think I'm offended." He took his beer and twirled the bar stool so his back was to her. She sighed and said, "I'll make sure I'm the one who buys you if you do it."

At that, Sam slowly turned around. "Why?" he asked, genuinely confused. "Why pay to date me when you can do it for free?"

"Well, what would it hurt?" Addie replied. "It might be fun. Also, and I know this will sound a bit sappy, learning about, you know, my heritage and who my parents really are has gotten me thinking about family a lot lately and how families have to be there for each other. If your sister, whom you hardly ever see, needs _one_ favor, I think you should do it. And if, on our date, we go out to dinner or something, just think of the amount I spend on you at the auction is me paying."

"Fine," Sam sighed. "But do you _swear_ you'll be the highest bidder?"

"Oh, yeah," Addie grinned and kissed him. "Try and stop me."

* * *

><p>Enid looked up in surprise as a non-regular strode through the door. "Hey," said the tall young man with dark hair and eyes as he sat down on a bar stool. "Could I have a Manhattan please? Do you know how to make those?"<p>

"Sure," Enid replied and tried to pay attention to the young man and make a drink at the same time. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, I just...I wonder who you are," she said. "I know you've been here, since no one turned you away at the door, but you're certainly not a regular."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that," he replied. "I may not be a regular, but my brother is. And my uncle. My sister works here...let's just say this is kind of a family establishment for me. I'm Gregory Mikaelson."

"Wait," Enid replied, mid handshake. "Adrian's brother! What brings you here?"

"It might be none of my business, but my wife and I, we adopted our little girl, and I heard from my mother that you had to give kids up too. If you wanna talk about it, I can listen."

Enid gave a small laugh. "Usually, it's the bar tender that listens to the patrons' problems."

"No matter," Gregory stood up. "If you'll just let me trade places with you, I can make you something."

"Are you sure?" Enid asked. "I mean, it'd really be nice to have someone to talk to. I love my boyfriend, but he doesn't like the way I got myself into our current predicament." She then opened the little door to let Gregory behind the bar, sitting down and saying, "Just a gin and tonic, please."

"All right," Gregory nodded and made it up quick, pushing it down the bar to her. "Now, talk to me if you can, but I'll understand if you can't."

Enid nodded, and took a drink and a deep breath. "Owen and I have been together a _long_ time, like, longer than your father has been around, on and off, seeing each other for a week every five hundred years because it's all I feel we can handle without making my sister angry. Cause when Hazel gets angry, bad things happen. I mean, she even kidnapped a _baby_ recently just because the baby's parents wouldn't hand over this heirloom jewel that belonged to our mother and is a great source of power. I have it now. She's been trying to get it forever, but that's not gonna happen. Anyway, back to my boyfriend: the last time before this that we were together, we talked about the possibility of having kids, and that if we did, they would be safer with me if Hazel decided to victimize them. So I got hold of his sperm and stuff and and told him that next time he saw me, we'd have kids. I thought it would be a lot easier than it was, but when I finally thought it was time, I realized that the best way to protect my kids would be for me to not be the one that raised them, to have someone else do it instead. I picked the perspective parents well, I'd say. They wanted to have kids but couldn't cause he was a vampire, so without telling them the explicit truth, I gave the husband a potion with my and my husband's genetic material in it, which he ingested and later impregnated his wife with. Does that make any sense?"

"I think so," Gregory replied. "You used a potion to impregnate woman who couldn't have children, but instead of it stimulating the man's sperm like normal, he ended up impregnating his wife with a sperm and egg that belonged to you and your boyfriend, so they had your children. And that couple you gave the potion to...would I know them?"

"It was your sister," Enid replied. "Roxie. And Vince, of course. Granted I wasn't counting on her handling the pregnancy so badly that Joey ended up dead and had to be brought back to life by me, but it gave us bonding time afterward, so I forgive her."

"Wow," Gregory replied as Enid paused to take another drink.

"Yeah," Enid nodded. "And now everything is a mess because I told the kids the truth and they're mad at us, and Owen's mad at me cause they're mad, and between that and this thing with Hazel, I've just been having a _really_ shitty week." She drank the rest of her drink and then made another one, downing it just as quickly, then watched Gregory finish his. Just then, Gregory's phone rang. "Yes, Katerina?" He said in answer to the call.

"Where are you?" She asked.

"I told you I had errands to run," he said. "I'll be home in a little bit. Why are you even calling?"

"I don't know," she said. "I just had a weird feeling and thought I should check on you. You aren't talking to other girls, are you?"

"No, Katerina, I'm not. At least not anyone I'm gonna leave for you." Then, he gave Enid a look before saying, "I'll be home in a little bit. And I'll be bringing a friend with me. Goodbye, Katrina."

"You know," he said when Enid had finished her drink and his phone was back in his pocket, "I think you need to get out of here for a bit. Why don't you come home with me to visit? Get some new surroundings?"

"Will it make your lady friend jealous?" Enid asked.

"Probably," Gregory sighed. "But that's just Katerina's way. It doesn't worry you, does it?"

"No," Enid nodded. "And sure I'll come with you. Thank you." But just as they were ready to make their way toward the door, they heard a crash outside and some yelling, before a familiar figure strode into the bar with a few bouncers on his heels.

"Sorry," one of the badly bruised werewolves huffed as the incongruous, black-robed man reached a bar stool and sat down. "We tried to keep him out. We know he doesn't belong here."

"It's all right," Enid told him. "It's Alistair. He can be in here." But when the bouncer was gone, she peered at Alistair with concern. "Are you all right?" She asked. He looked up at her, his expression stern. "Enid," he said firmly, his voice deep and booming, much more so than normal. It didn't even sound like him. "What is this trouble that is going on with you and your sister? You young ladies should be ashamed of yourselves. I raised you better than that."

"Me and Hazel?" Enid asked in confusion. "Alistair, why would you care about what's going on with us? And you sound like my father! It's creepy."

"I _am_ your father, Enid," Alistair replied, standing up. "And if you have the Noir, I'd like to take it. _Now."_

"All right," Enid replied. Then she looked apologetically at Gregory. "We'll be going a bit later than I expected. Do you mind?" A startled Gregory nodded and she pulled out a box from under the bar and opened it, revealing the Noir diamond. "I was just keeping it safe!" She told her father, who, unlike her, or Hazel, preferred to demonstrate his presence by possessing others (like he was possessing Alistair at present) rather than making his own body as she had, or keeping his spirit form like Hazel had. "Hazel is really the one causing all the trouble. She kidnapped and hurt a _baby_ to try and get this!"

"I am aware," her father replied. "And as I am very disappointed in your sister, she will be dealt with."

"And what about me?" Enid asked. "Will I be punished too?"

"No." Her father shook his head, grabbed the diamond, and left the bar.

"Well," Enid replied, letting out her breath once her father was gone and smiling at Gregory, who still looked stunned. "Wanna leave now?"


	19. Not Afraid Anymore

Gregory drove Enid to his house and after he'd parked in the garage, he urged her to continue on into the house while he got stuff out of the trunk. She nodded and did as he suggested, going up to knock on the door. A few seconds later, it was opened by a dark-haired, dark-eyed, ivory skinned young woman holding a little girl with similar coloring. "Yes?" She asked. She seemed irritated. "Whatever you're selling, we're not interested." She was about to slam the door in Enid's face when the witch reached out and grabbed the doorknob. "I'm not selling anything," she said with a smile. "I came with Gregory and he said I could come in while he gets stuff out of the trunk."

"We'll just see about that," Katherine replied, and refused her entrance until Gregory came up behind Enid and frowned at his wife. "Can I ask, Katrina, why Enid is still standing on our front steps? I assured her you'd let her in and give her something to drink. Be welcoming, even though that's against your character."

Katherine's eyes narrowed. "Fine," she said ungraciously to Enid. "Come in."

"Thank you," Enid responded, and followed Katrina and Gregory into the house.

"So, who are you?" Katherine asked Enid bluntly.

"I'm Enid," Enid replied. "I have a bar downtown that your husband comes to sometimes."

"Oh, a waitress," Katherine sneered, and then turned to Gregory. "If you're gonna cheat on me," she said, "I would hope you'd choose someone better than a waitress with which to do so!"

"I didn't bring her here to have an affair with her, Katrina," Gregory replied, his cheeks flushed a deep red. "I brought her cause she was having a bad day."

"Sure," Katherine replied. "You say whatever helps you sleep at night." Then, she left and he looked at Enid, who stared after Katherine in shock. "Sorry about that," he said. "It seems my wife's not having a good day either. Can I get you something to drink?"

"Sure," Enid replied, clearing her throat. "Don't go to a lot of trouble. I'll just take a water."

"Are you sure?" Gregory asked. "Cause I can do better than that."

"All right," Enid replied. "I'll have what you're having."

Gregory nodded and brought Enid a glass of wine, and then once they were both settled, he said, "So what's going on? Was it that you have an adopted child?"

"No," Enid shook her head. "My biological children were adopted, in a sense, by Roxie and Vince, and now they just found out who their biological parents are, and it just didn't end up being like I hoped."

"What do you mean when you say they were adopted 'in a sense'?" Gregory asked. "Let's build on that."

"All right," Enid replied. "My boyfriend and I don't get to see each other very much, because my sister, who's a big pain in the ass, doesn't approve of him. Because of her and her meddling, I only get to see him for a week every five hundred years, and the last time he showed up, I told him that I wanted to have kids by the next time he saw me, and he agreed. We got the materials together, and I just had to wait for the right time. But when the right time came, I realized that keeping our kids with me wouldn't be the best idea, and that maybe having them be raised by someone else until Owen (that's my boyfriend) returned, would be easier. So I, in one of my shiftier life choices, gave Vince and Roxie my and Owen's genetic material and let them think they were gonna have their own children. After the kids were born, I altered their looks and everything, so they would not only look more like Roxie and Vince but be vampire and werewolf also, instead of witch and warlock like they were supposed to be."

"Wow," Gregory replied, taking a breath and feeling taken aback. "That's...that's a lot to deal with. And some very complex magic for you to do."

"I know," Enid nodded. "And I know I probably shouldn't have done any of it in the first place, but..."

"You just wanted to do what was right for your children," Gregory nodded. "I understand that."

"Good," Enid replied. "I'm glad _someone_ does, cause I was starting to feel horrible about it."

"You shouldn't feel horrible about it," Gregory told her. "But you also shouldn't expect your kids to accept the news right away. They need time to process what they've been told, and after that's happened, I'm sure it'll turn out all right for you."

"It's the waiting part that's the most difficult though, you know? I at least see Addie on a daily basis, and just...there's hurt and betrayal in her eyes, and she won't let me near her to make it better."

"She will eventually," Sam replied. "I know it's hard, but if you just give her time and space, she'll come around eventually."

"All right," Enid nodded. "Thanks, I needed to hear that."

Meanwhile, both Katherine and Elizabeth, whose hand Katherine held, were watching Gregory and Enid talk while being hidden from their sights.

"You see her?" Katherine asked Elizabeth. "That's a bad lady who's trying to take your daddy away. And we don't want that to happen. We want him to stay here with us."

"Yes," Elizabeth nodded, her dark eyes narrowed. "Bad Dada."

They watched them talk a little while longer, then went and hid out in Katherine and Gregory's bedroom until they heard Gregory tell Enid goodbye. Then they went out and confronted him. "So," Katherine said. "Did you and your _friend_ have a nice little chat?"

"Yes, we did," Gregory replied firmly. Just then, Katherine let go of Elizabeth's hand and the little girl rushed at her father with a growl, pounding on Gregory's knees and shins with her tiny fists.

"What are you doing, Elizabeth?" Gregory asked. The pummeling had no effect on him and he picked her up with little effort, hugging her and kissing her cheek. "You don't want to hurt your daddy, do you? I love you!"

To Katherine's disappointment, the little girl caved and started giggling, laying her cheek on Gregory's shoulder. "Did you put her up to that?" Gregory asked. "Did you, Katrina? How could you?"

"I was just trying to stop you from leaving us!" Katherine replied. "You know, you've lost interest in me since we've had the baby! Am I not attractive to you anymore because of her?"

"That makes absolutely no sense!" Gregory shot back. "For heaven's sake, Katherine! We _adopted_ her, so she has never taken a single toll on your body!"

"Well...whatever." Katherine shot back and stalked back to their room.

Gregory sighed and hugged Elizabeth again. "Looks like your mother is having a tantrum," he told her and went to put her in her crib. "Why don't you go play in your room while I deal with this."

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you conned me into doing this," Sam told Addie as they camped out in one of the side rooms at the gallery while he got ready for the auction. "I feel like a piece of meat. Now I know why Mom didn't like beauty pageants. This is essentially the same thing."<p>

"Yeah, but you don't have to prance around in a bathing suit," Addie replied. "Although I would _love_ to see that."

"Maybe we could go swimming for our date," Sam replied. "That would be fun. Remember that you swore you'd be the one to win me."

"Yes, yes, I know," Addie said. "And I'll keep that promise."

Just then, there was a knock on the door and Lucy came in holding a clipboard. "Okay, Sam," she said. "The whole shebang starts in twenty minutes but don't worry, you aren't displaying your talents for awhile. I thought I'd put you on at the end, as sort of a grand finale."

"Well, that's flattering," Sam replied. "Get all the homely guys out of the way first and then bring in the high priced goods." He grinned. "Thanks, sis."

And Lucy rolled her eyes and grinned, thinking of how much Sam sounded like Damon. "You're welcome," she replied. Then she left her brother to his primping so she could go check on some of the other contestants.

"All right," Addie replied after going and looking out at the potential audience making their way i into the gallery for the auction. "I'm gonna go and get a good seat." She kissed his cheek and gave him a grin. "And by the way, I think I saw your mom out there with my uncle."

"Oh, goody," Sam replied. "Nothing is more exciting than being bid on by a bunch of crazy women and having your mom watch the whole thing."

"Oh, you'll be all right," Addie replied and gave him a wink. "Good luck."

* * *

><p>"Okay, here's the compromise," Elijah told Selina as they walked into the gallery where the auction was being held because once again, Selina wanted to support her son. "I'll look at all the art, maybe buy a picture or two, and you can watch this ridiculous display of Sam's."<p>

"Shh!" Selina replied irritably. "Don't talk about it like that! It wasn't even his idea, either. It was Lucy's."

"But would it_ really _have taken lots of pushing for Sam to decide to do this on his own?" Elijah asked. "It wouldn't surprise me to see that Sam is a strutting peacock just like his father."

Selina rolled her eyes. "You fussed at Sam's concert, and now you're gonna do it here, too. Seriously, why did you even want to come anyway? Why couldn't you have stayed at home?"

"Lucy asked me to contribute some money to this lovely place and I agreed," Elijah replied, looking around the gallery with appreciation. "After the auction, they're going to acknowledge those of us who helped the gallery along. Isn't that nice of them?" He grinned and Selina scoffed. "Who's the strutting peacock _now_?" She muttered under her breath.

"What?" Elijah asked, grin on his face. "I didn't hear what you said, dear."

"Nothing," Selina replied. "I didn't say anything you'd wanna hear."

Elijah's lip curled. "I bet you didn't," He said and led her to a chair, and then went to look at the artwork.

Meanwhile, a buzz began to build as Lucy came to stand at the podium to start the auction. "How is everyone today?" She yelled out and a wave of cheering answered her.

"All right then!" Lucy smiled and pulled out a stack of note cards that had all the bachelors' stats on them. "Let's get this party started, then!"

The auction went on at a good clip after that, each boy raising a reasonably good amount of money, until it came time to bring out Sam. "All right, ladies," Lucy said with a smile. "We've done really well so far, but now, we only have one guy left, and a very handsome one at that. He plays the guitar, he likes wearing leather, he sings, and I bet if you asked him real nicely, he'd write a song for you. Please welcome...Sam Salvatore!"

At that moment, Sam strode out onto the makeshift runway, grinning and flexing his muscles, the shriek that rose up was deafening, even covering up Selina's whistle of encouragement. While this was going on, Elijah stared at the painting he was thinking of buying (it was one of Lucy's, of course), and rolled his eyes at the female foolishness happening at the auction, the bids for a date with Sam just came at lighting speed. Lucy had started things at two hundred, knowing that women would be more than willing to pay a_ hefty _chunk of change just to be _near _her handsome brother. The bidding went higher and higher until it was just between Addie and one other young woman who seemed just as determined as Addie to have Sam as her date. Finally, Addie pushed her competition off their chair and dug her knee in the poor woman's chest before shouting out a final amount, which, of course, led to her winning. The amount she said was $2500. The, Addie let the woman up and, after giving Addie a _very_ dirty look, she sauntered off.

"So," Sam said, approaching Addie as everyone got out of their chairs and scattered around the gallery. "Where exactly do you plan to get the money to pay for me?"

"I'll get it from your dad," Lucy said, coming up behind them and surprising them both. "Don't worry about it."

"Well, aren't you concerned about us dating?" Sam asked her.

"No," Lucy shook her head. "Mom told me about the Enid situation while all the bidding was going on, and as long as you two are happy, it's none of my business."

"Oh, and getting me a girlfriend _is_ your business?" Sam asked. But he meant it good-naturedly and Lucy knew that. "Come on," she said. "I just didn't want you to be alone forever, and you know you wouldn't be happy that way either."

"You're right," Sam replied, holding Addie tight. "I most definitely wouldn't."

After that remark, Lucy had to leave because Elijah was holding on to a painting of hers and wanting to purchase it.

"How much did you give to the gallery?" Lucy asked him. Elijah told her the amount and she smiled. "Well, what we're doing is that the people who make donations, their donation covered the amount of any pieces they'd like to buy (meaning you can buy art that costs up to the amount you donated and have it covered by what you gave), so you don't have to pay me anything."

"Oh, I wouldn't feel right about that," Elijah told her. "Please, let me give you at least a _little_ something!"

"All right, fine," Lucy sighed. "Would a hundred sound greedy?"

"No," Elijah replied. "In fact, I still think you're underpricing this, but if that's all you'll take, then fine." He pulled a one hundred dollar bill out of his wallet and she put it in her pocket before striding off to see about another picture.

"All right," he said, coming up behind Selina, who was chatting with Damon, Sam, and Addie. "I'm ready to go home now."

"Just a minute," Selina replied, waving him away. "I'm talking now. Be patient. It's not nice to interrupt."

"Fine," Elijah sighed. The second Selina was done talking, he didn't give her time to say goodbye before he whisked her out to the car.

"Well, that was fun," he said with forced light-heartedness. "But I can't wait to see Margaret, Colin, and Tristan at home. Can you, dear?"

"No," Selina replied dryly. "I can't. Let's go then, if you want to so badly."

"Well," Elijah answered, starting the car and pulling out of the parking lot. "As you can see, it's exactly what I'm doing."

* * *

><p>Diana and Joey were sitting on Jake's sofa watching TV when they heard a knock on the door. "What if it's your dad?" Joey asked as Diana got up. "Don't you think it's weird he hasn't come looking for you since the day we left?"<p>

"I told you," Diana told him. "Daddy never really pays attention to stuff like that. I've basically raised myself since I was six and my mom left."

"I'm sorry," Joey replied.

"Eh," Diana shrugged. "Whatever. It wasn't a real loss to me." She opened the door and saw Enid on the other side. "Can I come in?" She asked.

"Sure," Joey replied. "Uncle Jake's out with Sherry, so it's just Diana and me here."

"All right," She said and came to sit next to him on the sofa. "Do you have any questions about what I told you about yourself? Your sister hasn't taken it well and I wondered if you had the same problem."

"No," Joey shrugged. "Not really. After all you've done for me, what you said makes sense."

"And I have another thing to tell you," Enid told him. "My father heard about all the trouble Hazel is causing and came down from on high to deal with it."

"How?" Joey asked.

"He possessed Alistair," Enid replied. "And showed up at the bar to talk to me. It was a bit disconcerting at first, but Daddy's done it before. It's his way."

"So you're saying I_ don't _have to be scared of Hazel anymore?" Joey asked.

"No," Enid replied. "Not even a little bit."

Joey let out his breath. "That's good. Can I ask _why_ I don't have to fear her anymore? Is she dead?"

"Well, technically she can't die cause she doesn't have a real body, but my father finally got wind of what she's been up to and he said he'd deal with her," Enid assured Joey. "I promise."

"Do you trust him?" Joey asked.

"Yeah," Enid replied. "I do."

* * *

><p>That night, as Enid was cleaning up the bar, her father came in again, still occupying Alistair's body. Enid wondered when Astrid would question what happened to her husband. Thank god for her job with the witch government. "I suppose you're wondering what I plan to do with your sister," he said to her.<p>

"Yeah," Enid replied, giving the floor a sweep. "I _did_ wonder that, but I have a pretty good idea. I told Joey he wouldn't have to worry about Hazel hassling him anymore. Am I right?"

"Of course," her father replied. "I wouldn't let my grandchildren be in _real_ danger from her. Sorry I was so late with my assistance, by the way."

"I'm sure you had a good reason to be," Enid replied. "Although, even though Joey was the main target of her rage, Hazel _did_ harm a baby in her course to get the diamond."

Her father gasped. "An infant? Really?"

"Yeah," Enid nodded. A member of Ena's Original vampire family. They had the jewel, and when they wouldn't give it to her voluntarily, she had her goons kidnap a baby (who was half-witch, by the way) and starve her of blood."

"Well that's ghastly," her father replied. "I'll have to up my punishment for her, now that I know her greed has made her stupid enough to go against her own kind."

"What are you going to do?" Enid asked.

"I'm going to send her back to earth, but without powers," her farther replied. "She'll be a mortal having to navigate through the mortal world with no idea how to do that."

"Would you like me to help her?" Enid asked.

"No," her father shook his head, a twinkle in his eye. "Your sister has been determined not to fall in love for so long that I think it would be good for a nice young man to help her do that."


	20. Like A Bad Country Song

A/n: Since Gregory and Katherine are in this chapter, I just wanted to put a warning for possible triggering behavior from them.

* * *

><p>"How are we feeling?" Gregory asked Katherine as he strode into their bedroom that night after Elizabeth had been put to bed. "Do you still hate me?"<p>

"Yes!" Katherine replied. She was facing the opposite wall and didn't turn to look at him. "You brought another woman here. How dare you, you jerk!"

"Just a minute now!" Gregory protested, turning her over to face him. "I did, and I probably even should have let you know before hand that she was coming, but that's the only thing even _close_ to a wrong that I will admit to."

She sniffed dismissively. "I still don't believe you love me anymore."

Gregory scoffed and took her in his arms. "I guess telling you isn't doing any good cause you're so stubborn," he said. "I guess I'll have to _show_ you instead!" Then, he kissed her deeply, his fingers threading through her tousled dark hair, pulling on it just a little, so that when he pushed into her and let out a shriek, it wasn't only because of that. When he rolled off her and she was panting heavily, he got out of bed and tied her wrists up with a scarf. "I'm gonna go to the kitchen real quick," he said. "I'm a little hungry after all that. I know you won't be able to get away, but...can I get you anything?"

"Oh, drop dead!" Katherine shot back and tried to wriggle out of the scarf, which he'd tied surprisingly tight. "You've probably cut off my circulation, you idiot!"

Gregory just chuckled, came back with a knife and a hunk of bread, which he ate, and made a cut along Katherine's arm with the knife. It was a shallow one, but a little blood trickled out. "See?" Gregory pointed out. "You're fine." He climbed into bed beside her, wiped the blood off the knife with his finger, then licked his finger. "And tasty, too."

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself so much," Katherine replied, and then squirmed. "Seriously, though: loosen the damn scarf."

"Fine," Gregory replied and released her. "But I'm disappointed, _Katrina_."

"I didn't tell you to take it off," Katherine corrected him. "I just said 'loosen it'. There's a difference."

"Let me tell you why I untied you," Gregory replied and took her in his arms. "I had to do this. I had to hold you. How can you look me in the eye and tell me I don't want you now?"

Katherine chuckled and kissed him quick as she felt his hands move down toward her butt. "You're an old softie, you know that? I wonder where that came from?"

"It came from the fact that I love you," he said. "Even though it's what you like, I can't stay harsh with you for very long."

Katherine chuckled and nipped his lip, slowly licking the blood off. "If it were anyone else, that would be a turnoff for me, but you...you make me feel weird. It's like I wait for something to go wrong, and it never does."

"And that's how it will always be with us," Gregory promised before pushing her back against the bed. "Always and forever."

* * *

><p>"I<em> still <em>can't believe you spent over $2000 to date me," Sam replied. "You really didn't have to."

"Yes, I did," Addie replied. She was sitting on the window seat in her and Sam's bedroom, writing something down on a pad of paper. "If I hadn't, you would have had to go on a date with that other woman instead of me, and I didn't think you'd want that. And besides, it wasn't even my money."

"I don't know," Sam winked. "She looked kind of nice."

"Oh, shut up!" Addie replied, put the pad down, and came over to push him back onto the bed. Then she kissed him and he pulled her against himself, rolling her underneath him. However, she was the one doing the kissing still. "Say," he said. "What is it that you're writing on that pad?"

"Nothing," Addie sighed. "Just ramblings about this whole situation with my parents. Nothing special."

"Well, after we do this," Sam asked as Addie eased off his shirt and unzipped his pants. "Can I look at what you wrote?"

"Sure," Addie replied. "I don't know why you'd want to, but sure."

"Thanks," Sam told her as he pushed her skirt up and pulled down her panties. "Thanks a lot."

"You're welcome," she grinned and kissed him. They rolled around on the bed, and just as Addie let out a shriek of release, the bed jolted and they rolled off it and hit the floor.

"You all right?" Sam asked her. "How did that happen with the bed?"

"It was probably my magic again," Addie replied, rubbing the bump on her head. "That probably wasn't worth over $2000, was it?"

"Well, yeah," Sam replied. "I'd say it was."

"All right," Addie replied. She went back to the window seat and grabbed the note pad, coming back to hand it to him. "Here," she said. "You told me you wanted to see it."

"Well thank you," Sam replied seriously and took the pad from her, looking it over. "It's not much," she apologized. "I-"

"Shhh..." Sam put a hand up and began humming, the words Addie had written following afterward.

"Wow," Addie replied, once he'd sung the whole thing. "That was...weird, in a good way. I didn't think that was song material."

"Well, don't most songs come from pain?" Sam asked. "And that's clearly what everything on this pad is."

"Oh, go on!" Addie grinned. "At most, it's nothing but a bad country song."

"I hate country," Sam replied. "There's no way I'd style it like that. I can turn this into something really awesome...if you want me to."

Addie sighed. "I guess it's not something I'd be really embarrassed to have someone hear," she admitted. "Go ahead and do it."

"Well, thank you," Sam replied, giving her a hug. "I mean that."

"I know you do," Addie replied. "And you're welcome."

They just stayed in each other's arms after that, with Addie resting her head on Sam's bare shoulder, and Sam running his hand down Addie's back. "You're gonna be okay," he told her.

Addie raised her head at that moment, locked eyes with him, and smiled. "If anyone would know that, you would," she said.

"Stick with me, kid," Sam winked. "You'll be glad you did."

* * *

><p>"Would you care to explain to me what was going on with you at the gallery yesterday?" Selina asked when they woke up the next morning.<p>

"No," Elijah replied. "I would not care to do that."

"Fine," Selina replied. "You don't have to, cause I already know. But what I don't understand is _why_. Why is it that any time I go and support Sam, you insist you have to come too, and then do nothing but give me grief?"

"Ah, but today I came with you because I was supporting Lucy, who is as good as my daughter," Elijah corrected sitting up so that she got a good view of his bare body, hoping that would stop her talking as it usually did, but this time, it seemed she was too worked up to even notice.

"Well, if you were just coming to support Lucy," she said, "you shouldn't have made a fuss about Sam and should have let me talk to Damon and Sam afterward," she chided. "This jealousy act of yours is getting tiresome!"

"Tiresome?" Elijah replied. "You should be grateful that you have someone who cares enough about you to be jealous!"

"Well, that's just fucking bullshit, isn't it?" Selina replied. "Only in your head would something that ridiculous make sense!" She waited for his response, but he just took her in his arms and kissed her instead. She tried to resist at first and keep the argument going, but she finally looked him over and admitted to herself that she wouldn't be able to fight very long when Elijah was in his underwear.

Elijah grinned as she slowly softened and let him take her in his arms. "I hate you," she muttered as he carried her to bed. "I hate that you know me so well that every time we argue, you know what to do so I lose."

"You know that's not true," Elijah replied. "You know you always lose because you don't like to fight and would much rather be loved instead."

"Oh, I _love_ to fight," Selina scoffed. "Are you kidding?" She whacked him in the face with a pillow with such force that it knocked over a lamp from Elijah's night stand, which shattered.

Elijah then raised an eyebrow. "Are you planning on cleaning that up?" He asked her.

Selina looked up at the ceiling as Elijah nodded. "I thought so," he said.

"Don't look at me like I did something wrong!" Selina cried. "Sometimes, if you wanna have fun, you gotta break a few lamps. That's how things are!"

"That was an antique," Elijah replied dryly. "What do you have to say for yourself now?"

"That you should know by now not to put your antiques in places where I will most likely break them," Selina replied. "I think _that's_ the lesson here."

Elijah sighed and crawled over to Selina's side of the bed so he could get out without cutting himself.

"Why are you getting dressed now?" Selina asked. "I thought we were gonna have sex!"

"I've suddenly lost any feeling for it," Elijah replied. "Maybe later."

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Selina said. "It's just a lamp! Come back to bed, please."

"No," Elijah replied. "And don't act as if I'm depriving you. Things got quite intense last night, didn't they? I thought you'd be too tired to do more anyway."

"I'm _never_ tired!" Selina replied. "At least not from you, anyway. The bakery makes me more tired than you do."

Elijah smirked. "I guess we'll just have to work harder next time then."

"Not fair!" Selina cried as she got out of bed. "Why do you _do_ this to me?"

"To give you something to look forward to after a long, hard day at the bakery," Elijah replied.

"And I suppose that's another thing I should thank you for?" Selina asked as she headed in to shower. "Do you mind me going first, or do you want to join me to save time?"

"You can go first," Elijah replied. "It probably wouldn't hurt my father to wait a little bit."

"Yeah, and we know who he'll blame when it happens," Selina replied, rolling her eyes. "P.S., it's not you. I think you're safe no matter how long you take to get ready."

"Okay," Elijah replied. "I'll go first then." Selina nodded and he strode into the bathroom. Since he wore nothing, just like her, of course Selina's eyes were glued on his butt until the bathroom door closed and the shower turned on. Selina got herself in a bathrobe and brushed her hair until the shower turned off, waited a little bit longer, and strode in. Elijah was standing at the mirror, a towel wrapped around his waist as beads of water cascaded down his arms and chest. "Hi," Selina grinned, coming up behind him and hugging him around the waist. "I figure I should take advantage of the opportunity before you get your suit on," she said. "I know that there's no overly enthusiastic hugging after you get your suit on."

Elijah removed her hands and turned, grinning, putting his arms around _her_ instead. She sighted contentedly as she leaned against him. "You smell so _good_," she observed, breathing him in.

"I do, don't I?" Elijah replied wryly. Then Selina looked up at him. "What do you say we take off the towel now and go back to bed?"

"I have to give you points for that attempt to distract me," Elijah told her. "You never miss an opportunity, do you?"

"No," Selina shook her head and sighed. She removed her robe and let it fall in a puddle at her feet. "I _never_ miss an opportunity." She gave him a wink and climbed into the shower while he brushed his teeth and thought about her washing off her soapy body. When he heard her moan as she washed her more intimate parts with a loofah, he choked on the toothpaste-y spit he had in his mouth before he spat it out into the sink and ran to put on his clothes, slamming the bathroom door behind him, breathing hard, and knowing that his face was most likely colored bright red. "I'm all right," he whispered to himself. "I'm all right." He got dressed as fast as he could, and when Selina came out of the bathroom, bathrobe securely fastened, he prayed that his face was back to normal.

"Are you okay?" She asked when she saw him. "You seem nervous."

"What?" Elijah asked. "Me, nervous? No, no. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Selina asked.

"Yes," Elijah replied. "It's nothing. I just overheard you in the shower, and I-I thought...oh, dear god." Color rose in his cheeks again.

"It's all right," Selina replied, putting her arms around him. "You should have come in with me. Why didn't you? Are you really in such a rush?"

"No," he said and kissed her long and hard. "I'm not in a rush." Then he let her go and gave her a spanking. "But you have a bakery to be getting to. People are probably lined up around the block waiting for you and you're not there."

Selina grinned and picked clothes out of her dresser. "You flatter me, sir."

"No, I don't," Elijah shook his head. "I tell the truth. Always. And don't forget to clean up the lamp you broke before someone accidentally hurts themselves!"

"Damn," Selina replied. "I hoped you'd forgotten about that."

"Nope," Elijah shook his head. "Sorry."


	21. Graduation

"I can't believe you're actually a warlock," Diana told Joey one day. "That means if you and I last and have kids someday, they'll be witch-werewolves." She paused. "Or just a witch/warlock if I have anything to do with it. No turning into werewolves for my kids."

"Are you sure?" Joey asked.

"Yes," Diana nodded. "I'm sure. When I was a kid, Daddy used to drag me and my siblings to a ceremony that was held for the werewolf males of our pack when they turned sixteen. That's when they activated their genes, going out and killing people on purpose just to prove a stupid point."

"What about the girls?" Joey asked. "Did they have to do the ritual too?"

"It's not mandatory for girls," Diana replied. "Maybe they think we're too soft or something. Not that we can't initiate our genes, of course."

"Do you plan to?" Joey asked.

Diana shook her head. "I like how I am now," she told him. "If my gene ever does get activated, it won't be on purpose, that's for sure."

Joey shrugged. "Or I could ask Aunt Enid to use her magic to make your gene dormant so you don't have to worry," he offered.

"Really?" Diana asked. "That won't make my dad happy."

"But Enid is like his boss," Joey reminded her. "If she makes your gene dormant, and then your dad gets pissed, I'm sure Enid wouldn't hesitate to smite him if you asked her to."

"Oh, don't be silly," Diana replied. "I'm sure Enid has more important things on her mind than looking after me."

"But I'm her son," Joey reminded her. "I'm sure she'll make time if I ask."

"All right," Diana nodded. "Thank you."

* * *

><p>"Anyone here?" Joey called as he led Diana into the nearly empty bar. "Aunt Enid? Mom? Anyone?"<p>

Just then, Owen came downstairs and caught Joey's eye. "Enid's out at the moment," he said. "Family drama with her father and Hazel that she didn't feel I deserved to have explained to me." He paused. "Anything _I_ can help you with?"

"Sorry, not really," Joey told him. "We need her magic specifically, to make Diana's werewolf gene dormant so she doesn't have to turn."

"Oh," Owen nodded. "Okay. I'm sure she'll be back soon. Until then, could I get the two of you a drink or something? I've become very proficient at that since I arrived."

Joey wasn't really thirsty, but he saw the really hopeful look in Owen's eyes, and figured that the man who was actually his biological father just wanted to do something for him.

"Yeah, all right," Joey replied. "Just give me a...root beer."

"Where are those?" Owen asked. "Enid only told me where the alcohol was." Then, he watched in amazement as Joey bounded over the bar and pulled out a few bottles from a small refrigerator underneath it. "Here," he said. "She always keeps pop on hand, you know, cause this is a family place and all."

"Good to know," Owen replied, locking that bit of knowledge away for future reference.

Just then, Enid came striding in. She looked tired.

"What happened?" Owen asked her. "Are you okay?"

Enid sighed. "Hazel told me that Daddy's decided to go after Astrid now," she said. "And take her as a mistress. He's even replaced her in the Council. And her poor husband, Alistair! Things won't go well for them after Daddy's had his fun and decided to leave. I only hope the pair of them are strong enough to stay together."

"Wait, who are Astrid and Alistair again?" Owen asked. "Their names are familiar, but I don't exactly know..."

"Oh," Enid said down and tried to explain it all to him. "Astrid was the head of the Council," she said. "And Alistair is her husband. _He_ was one of the first people sentenced to using their magic as a way of forced servitude because he betrayed his clan leader for the sake of power. Daddy never really liked him much."

"And now your father has taken Astrid as his mistress?" Owen asked as he cleared his throat. "Does he do things like that often?"

"Well, he's a very lusty fellow, my father," Enid replied. "He's actually had several children by many different women, but me, Vanessa, and Hazel were the only ones he ever actually bothered to claim as his. Astrid is just the latest one to catch his eye, poor woman. Denying my father what he wants is a _bad_ idea."

"You should help her," Joey said. "Are you planning to?"

"I will after she's been left on her own," Enid said. "That's when she'll _really_ need the help. I've seen Alistair come in here often enough with Klaus that I know him, and I know he won't take to Astrid's cheating kindly, even if she had no other choice but to do it."

"Poor Astrid," Diana said. "I don't know her at all and I feel sorry for her."

"Yes, well," Enid peered at Joey. "I'm sure you didn't come all the way down here just to tell me to save someone else. Is there anything _you_ want?"

"Would you make Diana's werewolf gene dormant, please?" Joey asked. "She's really not interested in activating it."

"Wow, really?" Enid said in surprise. "You look like the sort of girl who would."

Diana sighed. "I saw my five brothers activate their genes, along with all the other boys in our pack, and after that, it just sort of lost its appeal."

"Well, all right," Enid replied. "I admire your restraint." She went into the back room and after awhile came out with a bottle of what looked like water. "The first step is for you to drink this," she said. "It'll taste gross, but you gotta drink every last drop."

"All right," Diana said, opening the bottle and putting one hand in Joey's. She then drank some of the liquid, her face and stomach twisting as it got into her mouth. She ran to spit it out and came back. "What the hell is that?" She asked. "It's disgusting."

"I _did_ warn you," Enid replied. "It's wolfsbane. Since you're not active, the most it'll do is make you temporarily ill, but if you were active, it would kill you."

"Oh, _that _makes me feel better about drinking it," Diana said.

"It's a shame you aren't younger, or just wanting to postpone your gene being active," Enid said. "That happened with Joey's uncle. He killed someone young and his mother asked me to postpone his turning until he was old enough to understand what it meant."

"You can _do_ that?" Joey asked in amazement."

"Of course I can," Enid replied. "I_ created _werewolves. I can do anything with them that I want." She looked at Diana, who was still panting. "Do you still want to go ahead with making your gene dormant now that you know what you'll have to do? Do you think you can handle it?"

"Yes," Diana nodded determinedly. "I can handle it." Diana pushed the bottle back at her and, steeling herself while holding tightly to Joey's hand, she managed to choke down the rest of the wolfsbane mixture, followed by one more potion that Enid said would ease the nausea she was feeling.

"Now, that's not all," Enid told her. "You have to take that stuff every night until the next full moon."

"Oh, god!" Diana exclaimed. "And how long is that?"

"Thirteen days," Enid replied. "Do you think you can make it?"

"Yeah," Diana nodded resolutely and squeezed Joey's hand. "It'll really be a pain in the ass, but I think I can do it."

"Good," Enid smiled. "Now I suggest you go home and rest. What you're going through is hectic on your body."

"No kidding," Diana replied. Then, Joey took her back out to his car and when they were gone, Owen told Enid, "it's a great boy we have."

"Yeah," Enid grinned. "I've always had a soft spot for him myself."

"Is she really gonna be okay?" Owen pressed. "Or are you just peddling snake oil?"

"I'm not!" Enid replied. "What I gave her will really help her if she does it properly." She paused. "Now, will you stop scolding me so we can go up to bed?"

"Fine," Owen nodded. "I suppose after the day you've had, you deserve a rest."

"Thanks!" Enid nodded as she followed him up the stairs. "But a rest really wasn't what I was looking for."

Owen grinned over his shoulder. "And it's not what you're gonna get, either."

* * *

><p>"Oh, my god!" Sherry exclaimed when she saw the state Diana was in as she and Joey entered the house. "Jake! Jake, come quick! Diana needs a doctor!"<p>

Jake came running in and stared in horror at Diana, who had just collapsed on the floor, beads of sweat pouring down her face. "Joey, what the hell happened?"

Joey looked pointedly at Sherry. "I'll have to tell you in private," he said. "It has something to do with that...disease that runs in our family."

"Oh, that," Jake nodded. "Sure. Sherry, you watch Diana, would you please?"

"Sure," Sherri nodded. "And do you still want me to call a doctor? Cause I mean, if she has a disease...?"

"No, no calling any doctors!" Jake replied. "We'll get it all fixed, I promise!" They went off into a corner and Jake said, "So what's going on with Diana? She looks like she's _dying!_"

"She's...taking a potion from Enid that will help make her werewolf gene dormant." Joey said. "It's a lot more complicated compared to what some of my cousins have gone through, but then again, Diana's not Original descended, so that's probably why." He shrugged. "I don't know for sure, though."

"So will she be better eventually?" Jake asked. "Or will she be sick like that forever?"

"She has to get better," Joey told his uncle. "She'll be taking the wolfsbane potion every night until the full moon, and that wouldn't work if she was this sick the whole time."

"All right," Jake sighed. "If Enid promised you that's how it would be...I'll have to make a note of that in my books, though. I've never heard of that, and I've heard of basically everything."

"All right," Joey nodded. "I'm gonna go help Sherry get Diana to bed."

After he did that, he tucked Diana in and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "I know this whole process is gonna be painful as fuck," he told her. "But you'll get through it."

"I know," Diana replied. "Thanks." Joey then got up to go so she could rest, but as he reached the door, she said, "would you stay until I've fallen asleep? Please?"

"Sure," he said. He took her desk chair, placed it beside the bed, and sat in it. "I'll be right here," he said. "Don't worry."

"Thank you," Diana replied. "Thank you, Joey."

* * *

><p>"Can Margaret come and live with us?" Henry asked Lenora. Two months had passed by, and it was now May.<p>

"Of course Margaret can't come to live with us," Lenora replied. "Her parents would miss her too much!"

Henry paused after this and thought a moment. "How long until she doesn't have to live with her mommy and daddy anymore?" He asked.

"A good ten years or so," Lenora told him. "You still have awhile to go."

"But after it goes, I wanna live with her," Henry replied.

"That would be weird to have it just be the two of us," Margaret replied. "But I think I would like it." Henry paused. "Since it's Friday and school is almost over, can Margaret and I spend the night on the boat?"

"Not by yourselves," Lenora shook her head. "Either your daddy or I will have to be on the boat with you."

"I think that's okay," Henry replied. He raised an eyebrow at Margaret. "Is it okay with you?"

"Sure," Margaret replied. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Henry shrugged. "You could think I was a bad person!" He said, waggling his eyebrows. "I could make you not safe!"

"You killed my scary nightmare dragon," Margaret reminded him. "And made friends with a human. You're a good person."

"All right," Lenora told them. "If you two want to have a sleepover in the boat, I'll call my grandma to see if it's okay."

"I already know Grandma will say 'yes'," Henry replied knowingly. "She has every other time."

"But still, it's always good to ask permission," Lenora said. "Even when you think you know what the answer will be."

* * *

><p>But Henry was, of course, right, and after Lenora tucked him and Margaret in bed next to each other, Lenora left and headed to her and James' special bedroom where James joined her a few minutes later. He looked worried.<p>

"Astrid's just been replaced as head of the Council," he said. "Hazel's orders. They're bringing in someone new and what do you think that will mean for me?"

"Possibly nothing," Lenora replied. "Why are you so worried?"

"Cause I just...I know I've been sort of longing for my old job ever since I started fighting on the 'right' side of the law," James replied. "But what if this new management actually decides to send me back? I don't think I could handle it. We'd have to live in...the place again. The place where no love is."

Lenora sighed and kissed him. "I don't think that'll happen," she said. "But if it does, we'll make the best of it, like we did before. We'll have Susanna start her pre-school in September and hope that the teachers can deal with her, cause no matter if it's a magical school or not, I have a feeling she'll be a handful."

James chuckled. "I'll make it very clear to her that she can't hassle the teachers _too_ badly."

"And I have to tell her that she'll not be able to feed at school," Lenora said. "Cause I can just picture one of the kids pissing her off, followed by her going straight for their jugular. And she would definitely get kicked out that way. Human school would be even worse. She just doesn't have Henry's restraint."

"Tell me about it," James replied as he remembered coming home early in the morning from a work trip and being attacked by both Susanna and the dog cause they thought he was burglar.

It was then, coincidentally, as he thought this, that he and Lenora heard a crash and some banging.

"What do you think that is?" Lenora asked.

"I have no idea," James replied.

Lenora put a bathrobe on told James to put on his pants, and the two of them followed the noises to the kitchen where they found Margaret balancing precariously on Henry's back as she tried to get snacks out of the freezer. Two cartons of ice cream and a frozen steak had fallen beside them.

"What in the hell is going on here?" Lenora asked. Margaret stepped off Henry onto the floor, her voice full of shame. "We were hungry," she exclaimed. "We wanted a snack. Then we couldn't reach the freezer, and when we did, all the stuff fell out."

"Well, did either of you get hit in the head?" Lenora asked. "With that frozen stuff falling, you could have been hurt!"

"I told Henry to use magic!" Margaret said. "But he told me we could come out here and get stuff from the 'frigerator since you were probably already asleep."

James and Lenora looked at one another and sighed. Then Lenora magicked a bowl full of fruit and gave it to them. "Take this to your room and eat it," she told them. "That'll be your snack, but I want you going to bed after that. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Henry bowed his head and Margaret looked about to cry. Lenora and James followed them to their bedroom and as they all entered, Rusty (who'd chosen to sleep with Henry that night, and was the only one who was actually asleep) woke up. Henry tossed him a few grapes and then he and Margaret got into bed.

"All right," Lenora said. "Bed after you finish eating, remember. And no pulling this sort of stunt again. Night time is for sleeping."

Henry and Margaret both nodded and then Lenora shut the door behind her and James chuckled. "Amazing how committed Henry is to that girl, isn't it?" He grinned. "I bet he'd do anything for her."

"Well, that's not always a good thing," Lenora said. "Some day, he'll probably feel something more for her when he shouldn't. and his reaction to it will get him into trouble. Cause while he's better with restraint than Susanna is, it's still not his best thing either."

* * *

><p>"Would you look at that?" Laura said to Edward as they got inside after getting home from school. "I can still fit through a door! It's amazing!"<p>

"You're not that bad," Edward comforted his wife. "Don't exaggerate so much. You're too beautiful for that!"

"Awwww!" Laura started to cry happy tears and gave him a hug. "You're such a wonderful husband, even when I'm being a pain in the butt!" She paused, gasping. "What am I gonna go about graduation? I mean, I ordered my robe when I was thinner. What if it doesn't fit and I have no choice but to wear a burlap sack or something when I go get my diploma?"

"I don't think you have to worry about that," Edward assured her. "Graduation robes aren't form-fitting." He paused. "Do you need me to drive you to work today, or do you want me to call Enid and say you want the day off?"

"Day off," Laura replied, sitting down. "My back hurts like hell."

"All right," Edward replied. He called Enid to tell her, and Enid said, "Tell Laura not to worry about it. I've got Owen working for me tonight anyway, so I won't be put out. I hope she feels better soon."

"All right," Edward nodded. "Thank you, Enid. I'll let her know." He ended the call and told Laura, "it's all right. You're off the hook. Enid's got Owen subbing for you."

"Good," Laura nodded and went to take some pills for the pain. "It sucks that I can be immune to lots of pains, but pregnancy pains aren't on that list," she commented after drinking a glass of water.

"Are you gonna go to bed?" Edward asked her.

"I'll try," Laura sighed. "Maybe I should see what dress I'm gonna squeeze myself into for graduation."

"I have to wonder if there's something other than the dress you should be worried about," Edward said. "Do you know if your parents are coming?"

"Of course they're coming to graduation!" Laura said. "Why wouldn't they?"

"Well, one of the other days you took off of work, I was there telling Enid and your mom came bursting in, muttering something about your father being 'impossible and heartless'. Then she had three drinks and took a room upstairs for the night."

"Really?" Laura asked. "I had no idea about any of that." She then went and called her mother's phone. And to her surprise, it took a _very_ long time for Selina to answer.

"Mom?" She asked when Selina answered. "What's going on between you and Daddy? Nothing bad, I hope?"

"Nothing that will ruin your graduation, sweetie. Don't worry," Selina assured her. "Your father and I will try and maintain civility, even though we're currently having an argument that is entirely his fault!"

"What is it?" Laura sighed.

"Well," Selina cleared her throat. "A while ago, your dad was at the bakery so we could see each other during my lunch break when Astrid of all people came striding in and told me she needed to get something off her chest. Now naturally, because I'm a very sympathetic person, I asked what was wrong, and she told me that Alistair has been possessed by the most powerful magical being in the world because that being wants to have an affair with her. And that she actually slept with him because he threatened to kill both her and Alistair if she didn't. Now, I sympathized with Astrid's predicament, and your father decided to scold me for that opinion, right there in front of everyone in my own store! He said that I had been faithless once myself, so it was no surprise that I sided with Astrid now. And the real big thing was that I didn't even _want_ to say anything about the situation, cause it's none of my business really, nor your father's, but he pried the opinion out of me, and now he and I aren't talking. But like I say, we won't let it ruin your graduation. We'll be there to support you."

"Well, thanks." Laura replied. "I'm touched. "Goodbye." She ended the call and turned to Edward, bursting into tears. "What?" Edward asked, coming to embrace her as much as he could.

"My mommy and daddy are fighting!" Laura sobbed. "And it's gonna ruin graduation!"

"Oh, I'm sure it's not," Edward replied. "I'm sure they'll maintain decorum." He handed her a mini candy bar. "Eat this. "It'll cheer you up."

Laura looked at it and shook her head. "When you find the rest of the bag that came in and I have it in my hands," she said, wiping her eyes, "_that_ will cheer me up."

* * *

><p>Finally, Laura and Edward woke up on graduation day, put on their dress clothes and robes, and drove to the venue where the ceremony was being held.<p>

"I don't know if I'll be able to sit the whole time," Laura said. "What if, when they call my name, I have to pee or something? That's not out of the realm of possibility." She squirmed in her chair and Edward whispered, "Just don't think about it. If you do, it'll only make it worse!"

They got instructions about how to get on and off the stage among other things, and then went to line up as friends and relatives crowded into the room. Then, to the strains of _Pomp and Circumstance,_ everyone came up one by one to get their diplomas. When Laura's name was called, the applause that met it was deafening. Mom and Dad must've invited the whole family, she thought to herself as she shook the principal's hand then got off the stage. She then ran to the bathroom and when she got back, Edward, surmising correctly where she'd gone, grinned at her. "Better?" He asked.

"Oh, yeah," she nodded. "Definitely."

After the ceremony was over, all the students dispersed in different directions. Laura and Edward headed straight to her waiting parents.

"I was right," Laura said, looking at her father. "You _did_ invite the whole family!"

"Well, it's not every day this happens," Elijah said. Then Roxie came up beside him and gave Laura a hug. "Congratulations," she said.

"Thanks," Laura replied. "And thanks for coming. I know things haven't been easy for you."

"It's okay," Roxie shrugged her comment away. "I'm getting used to the new circumstances now. Addie and Joey still pay more attention to me and Vince than they do to Enid and Owen anyway, so I'm cool."

"And how was the vacation?" Laura asked.

"Much needed," Roxie replied. "We had the nicest beach by our hotel, and Vince and I were out on it every day. Sometimes wearing nothing at all."

"All right," Elijah told her. "That's enough, Roxanne."

"If you want more details than Mr. Fussbudget here will let you have, just give me a call and I'll spill," Roxie told Laura, who nodded and watched Roxie walk away.

"Do you have enough energy to talk to everyone over cake and punch?" Selina asked Laura. "Or has this worn you out already?"

"No, I think I can do it," Laura replied. "If we leave now, that is."

"All right," Selina nodded. "Everyone knows we'll be meeting at the bakery. I cleared it out for the whole day."

"You're not charging people for what they buy, are you?" Elijah asked.

"Why not?" Selina asked. "I'm letting everone have a family discount. And I have to make money _somehow._" Then, she paused and looked at Laura. "Never mind," she said quickly. "Let's just go, have cake and stuff, and celebrate Laura and Edward's accomplishment."

"Well said," Elijah replied. And they hustled everyone out of the venue in as orderly a fashion as they could, and then everyone headed to the bakery.


	22. When The Cat's Away

After Elijah and Selina returned home from the bakery, Selina went and locked herself in her room. Elijah made to follow, but she slammed the door in his face before he could go in the room.

"Selina!" He yelled. "Let me in!"

"Why?" She asked. "You're just gonna yell at me for having an opinion. I have the right to an opinion, just as much as you do."

Elijah just gave a dry chuckle. "Except for when your opinion is wrong," he said and opened the door. "But like I told you before, I'm not surprised you're siding with Astrid."

"I don't even see why we need to get involved in Astrid and Alistar's relationship in the first place," Selina said. "She came to me to vent. She was most likely not expecting either you or me to take sides."

"But when Alistair comes back to himself, he'll need me like Astrid needed you," Elijah said."I can't very well ignore him. And you can't blame me for thinking the way I do."

"I'd tell you the same thing about me and Astrid!" Selina cried. "She did the best she could in a bad situation. She and Alistair both will live because of her actions. I should think that would mean more than the fact that Alistair was possessed by someone else when she slept with him. If not, Alistair's just an ungrateful idiot, isn't he?"

"_Ungrateful_?" Elijah bellowed. "She slept with, for all intents and purposes, another man, and you're calling Alistair _ungrateful_ for being upset about it?"

"Well, it's not like Astrid just decided to do it for no reason!" Selina repeated. "It's not like she had a choice!"

"People _always_ have a choice," Elijah said firmly.

"So you'd rather see one of your best friends _die_ while his wife acts morally then have his life be saved because Astrid gave in to the demands of a lunatic?" Selina asked. "Where's your head, Elijah?" She then scoffed in disgust and went to the bakery for a little peace and quiet. It was there that she saw Astrid. "Hi," Astrid said, coming up to the counter.

"Hi," Selina replied. "Are you okay? Are you still worried about what will happen between you and Alistair? You might be headed down a rough path, cause I told Elijah about why you slept with Conal, he thought it was wrong, and he and Alistair think so similarly that you might be on your own for awhile."

"Oh, that's fine," Astrid said. "What do I need him for anyway, when I've got Conal, who's a much better fit for me."

"You think?" Selina asked. "And by the way, can I get you anything, or did you just come here to talk?"

"Conal is thinking about proposing marriage," Astrid said. "We talked about it and I'm thinking of accepting."

"No," Selina said, feeling her jaw drop. "Seriously. What about Alistair?"

"Didn't you hear me?" Astrid said. "I don't _care_ about Alistair anymore. He's just a fool who's been on the wrong side of the law for too long. Conal's never liked him. But now that Conal and I are gonna be married, everything will be just peachy."

"All right," Selina sighed. "Well, congratulations."

"Thank you," Astrid said. "I think I'll wait and tell Helene after the proposal is official. She is so attached to Alistair that all she's gonna do is kick up a fuss and try to stop me, so she won't hear about it until it's too late to do anything like that."

"And I assume you don't want me telling her either?" Selina asked.

"Yes, please," Astrid said. "I don't want Helene hearing it from _you_ either."

* * *

><p>"Thank god for loopholes," Selina said to herself as she walked into Enid's and saw Roxie at the bar. "Is Enid around?" She asked her daughter. "I need to talk to her. It's an emergency like you wouldn't believe."<p>

"Yeah?" Roxie said, her interest piqued. "What is it?"

"If Enid doesn't do something, and fast, Astrid is gonna be her new stepmother!" Selina said. "Astrid told me Conal is thinking of proposing to her!"

"But-seriously?" Roxie asked, looking amazed. "But what about Alistair?"

"I have no idea," Selina replied. "But Astrid doesn't seem to care about _him_ anymore. And she forced a promise out of me that _she_ would be the one to tell Helene all of this and nobody else."

"Poor Helene," Roxie said. "This'll crush her."

"What will crush who?" Enid asked as she came down to the main level of the bar with Owen on her heels.

"Astrid is about to be your new mommy," Roxie told her dryly. "Apparently, she and your dad have been talking about marriage."

"But my dad _loathes_ the idea of marriage!" Enid exclaimed. "I mean, Hazel's mother was the one he loved the most and she was only ever his highest-ranking mistress."

"Well, apparently, there's something about Astrid he likes," Roxie shrugged.

"And that means that Alistair will never be Alistair again," Selina said. "You have to do something to stop this, Enid. Please."

Enid sighed. "All right," she said after a moment. "Cause I agree that it wouldn't be healthy for Astrid _or_ Alistair. But before we take any action, we have to make a plan. My father won't just let us take Astrid away and leave him with no one. So we have to find someone to replace her. Someone flighty and a bit shallow, and not really into commitment. They should probably be a witch too."

"All right," Selina said. "When we come across anyone like that, we'll let you know."

"Good," Enid said. "And also, we can't cancel the wedding. We'll have to let it go on as planned and incorporate the plan into that."

"Interesting," Owen grinned. "And once you ruin your father's chance to get married, what do you say you and I do it in his stead?"

Enid turned, her jaw dropping a little. "You-You want to marry me?"

"I don't know why you're acting so shocked," Owen grinned. "Are you planning on saying 'no'?"

"Of course not!" Enid shook her head. "It's just that...it's sort of sudden."

"Sudden?" Owen kissed her. "Really?" Cause I think we're _long_ overdue." Then Enid looked at Roxie. "I know you're still pissed at me and you have every right to be, but...when Owen and I get married, could we have Addie and Joey there? Please?"

"All right," Roxie said. "But only if they want to be. If they agree, then it's all right with me."

"Thank you," Enid told her, giving her a hug that Roxie didn't return. "Thank you very much, Roxie."

* * *

><p>"I'm so happy you didn't burst into tears when Laura graduated like you did at her wedding," Katherine said.<p>

"I did _not _cry at Laura's wedding!" Gregory replied. "I just..."

"Let me guess," Katherine said. "Did you have allergies?"

"Why are you mocking me?" Gregory asked. "Is this some sort of revenge for bringing you to an event you found boring? Well, that's one of the things about being in my family: You have to _be_ in my family. You can't just stay home with Elizabeth all the time."

It was then that the babysitter, a teenage neighbor Elizabeth had taken a shine to, appeared. "Hello Gregory, Miss Katherine. How was the party?"

"It was great," Gregory told her and gave her forty dollars for her five hours' work. Then Katherine took Elizabeth, who was reaching eagerly for her mother, and smiled at her. "Finally, I get to have some intelligent conversation," she said once the girl had left.

"She's a year old," Gregory said dryly. "How can you have a more intelligent conversation with her than anyone else?"

"Well," Katherine grinned. "Let's just say we have a very bright daughter."

Gregory rolled his eyes and let Katherine carry Elizabeth away. He was about to go call Adrian when the doorbell rang. He opened the door, eyes widening in shock when he saw Adrian on the other side. "I was just about to call you," he said.

"Were you?" Adrian asked. "Now, what would you need me for?"

"Company," Gregory replied. "I mean, I love my wife, but sometimes she can be a bit...much."

"No kidding," Adrian replied, coming into the house. "Helene's like that too, but I love her anyway." He paused. "I don't know if you've ever met my wife. Do you want to?"

Gregory thought of Katherine wanting to bond alone with Elizabeth and thought it would be best to just give her what she wanted. "All right," he said. "Thank you, I'd love to." He then went to knock on Elizabeth's closed bedroom door.

"Another meeting with your family?" Katherine asked dryly.

"Well, yes," Gregory nodded. "But you don't have to come. Adrian stopped by and invited me to come visit his house and I just wanted to tell you that that's where I'm going."

"All right," Katherine nodded. "Thank you. Have a good evening." Then she shut the door and Gregory went back to Adrian. "All right," he said. "She knows I'm leaving. We can go."

"All right!" Adrian said. They got in his car and headed to his house, where Helene met them at the door.

"Hi," she said, shaking Gregory's hand. "You must be Gregory. I'm Helene. Adrian's told me a lot about you."

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "I'm his werewolf-vampire cousin-brother."

"Seriously?" Helene asked. "Well, that's complicated."

"But we have the same mom and our dads are related, and that's how it ends up...I think," Adrian told her.

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you," Helene told Gregory. "Why don't you come into the living room and we'll talk more?"

"This is a really nice place," Gregory observed. "But kind of...empty. Are you two planning on having children?"

Helene cleared her throat and Gregory noticed her stomach, which was just starting to show. "How nice," he said. "Will this be your first?"

"No," Helene replied. "Our third. We have complex relationships with our first two which are entirely our own faults, but we see them every once in awhile. What about you?"

"My wife and I adopted a little girl because Katherine is a made vampire who can't have children," Gregory said. "She was against the idea at first, but now she and Elizabeth are really close. A little too close I think sometimes."

"Really?" Helene asked. "Why?"

"Oh, I don't know," Gregory said. "Sometimes, she's just a questionable influence is all. A very questionable influence."

* * *

><p>"So," Katherine said as she took Elizabeth to sit with her in the rocking chair. "What do you want to do now that your boring daddy is gone for the night? We can do whatever we want!" She paused, taking Elizabeth and putting her on her feet on the floor. "All right, sweetie. Go wherever you want, and Mommy will follow you."<p>

Elizabeth smiled and began making tiny but quick steps toward Katherine and Gregory's bedroom, where she reached up toward the sink and Katherine lifted her up. The baby began picking things up out of her makeup bag and throwing them on the floor.

"All right," Katherine said when the bag was empty. "I think it's about time I show you all this stuff does, all right?" She picked up lipstick and put it on Elizabeth, followed by blush, and mascara. "There," she said. "You look so pretty!" She lifted the little girl so she could look at herself in the mirror, and then Elizabeth picked up her lipstick and began smearing it all over the walls.

"Oh, damn," Katherine said when she finally managed to get it away from her. When the lipstick was out of her grasp, Elizabeth burst out crying, which caused the mascara to run. "All right," Katherine said. "Let's just put the makeup away and go and watch TV, all right? But first, we have to get you cleaned up."

But Elizabeth refused to be cleaned up and finally, Katherine stopped struggling with her, taking her into the living room to await Gregory's reaction to what she and Elizabeth had done. She was sure it would be swift and unpleasant.

And she was right. The second he saw Elizabeth, Gregory's jaw dropped. "What did you do to my baby?" He asked, taking her in his arms. "Her eyes are all black. And her mouth is-"

"Oh, calm down," Katherine said to him. "It's just makeup."

"You put_ makeup _on her?" Gregory asked. "Katherine, how could you do that? She's too young!"

"It's not so bad," Katherine said. "I watched her the whole time. Including when she got lipstick all over the walls of our bedroom."

"What?!" Gregory asked again. He was practically pulling his hair out now. He gave Elizabeth back to Katherine and ran into the bedroom, letting out a stream of bad words that Katherine didn't even realize he knew.

"Now let's look on the bright side," she told him after he'd finished his tirade.

"What bright side could there be?" He asked, looking as if he was about to smack her. "Our bedroom is covered in lipstick! It'll take forever to wash off!"

"I can think of something positive right off," Katherine responded. "She may have gotten lipstick all over the walls, but at least Elizabeth didn't eat any of it. That's a good thing. Right?"

* * *

><p>Margaret opened her eyes just after midnight one evening and let out a shriek when she noticed the dark shadow at the foot of her bed. She opened her mouth to let out a yell again, and felt a hand go over it. "Don't yell again," a voice whispered. "It's me, Henry. I promise I won't hurt you."<p>

He lit up the room and Margaret looked at him in shock. "You're not supposed to be here," she said. "You'll get in trouble."

"I'm gonna go," Henry said, looking a little sad that she didn't want him to stay. "Will you at least wish me happy birthday first?"

"It's your birthday?" Margaret asked. "I didn't know that." She paused. "Or are you just saying that to get attention?"

At that point, Henry magicked a blower in his hand and blew it in Margaret's face. "It's true!" He said.

"Well, happy birthday," Margaret replied. "Now let me sleep. Good night."

"Fine," Henry sighed. "But I'll be happier for you on _your _birthday."

"Thank you," Margaret replied, facing away from him.

Sighing, Henry popped out of the room, leaving Margaret alone to sleep.

* * *

><p>"Are you all right?" Elijah asked Margaret at breakfast several hours later.<p>

"Yeah," Margaret nodded, pausing as she brought her cereal spoon to her mouth. "Why?"

"We heard noises in your room around midnight," Selina told her. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"Oh, that's nothing," Margaret smiled. "It was just Henry. He came into my room cause he wanted me to tell him happy birthday. But he didn't stay very long. I told him that I wanted to sleep, so he left."

"Good," Elijah said. "Because having boys in your room can lead to trouble."

"What sort of trouble?" Margaret asked curiously.

"Yeah," Selina grinned as Elijah shifted uncomfortably. "Answer her question, Elijah. What trouble can happen to a seven-year-old girl who lets a seven-year-old boy in her room?"

"Well, I'm just making sure it doesn't become a habit," Elijah snapped. "Cause from the looks of Henry, I know we'll probably have potentially worrisome situations down the road.

"What _kind_ of worrisome situations?" Margaret pressed.

"Never mind," Elijah replied. "Eat your cereal and I'll tell you when you're older."

"Okay," Margaret replied, her eyes looking down toward her cereal bowl. Then, Selina turned her attention to Tristan. "Do we still need to pick up Emily for Henry's party?"

"Yes," Tristan nodded. "And she wanted me to tell you 'Thank you' from her father for driving her."

"It's no problem," Selina said. "I know he's a busy man."

"Would you chew with your mouth closed?" Elijah asked her, looking disgusted. "Think about what kind of an example you're setting."

"Sorry," Selina replied and closed her mouth. After the breakfast dishes had been put in the dishwasher, Margaret said, "Are we going to get Henry's present now, Mommy?"

"After you dress," Selina replied. "You don't want to go to the toy store in your PJs."

"No, I don't!" Margaret shook her head. "Cause daytime is for wearing _clothes_!" She ran off to get her bath started so Selina could help her wash her hair and Elijah chuckled. "Interesting that it's you who's teaching Margaret the 'wear clothes during the day' lesson, since you've been known to be too lazy to get out of _your_ pajamas until dark and just put on a new pair before you go to bed."

"I call it reveling in comfort," Selina replied. "It's just how I am."

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "But luckily for me, it's one of my great joys in life to get you out of those clothes and get you clean."

"Exactly," Selina nodded. "It's no fun to do it all by myself."

"The bath water is done running!" Margaret called. "Come on, Mommy!"

"All right," Selina said. "I'm coming, Margaret!" She gave Elijah a quick kiss and then ran to help Margaret.

When Tristan and Margaret were ready to go, Colin announced that he had to meet Valerie, which made Selina look at Elijah and say, "Are you gonna be all right here by yourself?"

Elijah nodded. "I think I'll be able to find something to do with myself."

"Good," Selina said. "But I promise I won't be gone long in any case." She took Tristan and Margaret to Henry's party and got out to talk to Lenora for a bit.

"Henry told me he paid a visit to your house this morning," Lenora told her apologetically. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, it's all right," Selina told her. "It doesn't seem like anything happened."

"I just wanted her to tell me 'happy birthday'," Henry explained to his mother. "That's _all_!"

Then, he ran off to join Margaret and looked her over. "You look pretty," he said. "You didn't have to dress up like that. No one else is."

"I know," Margaret told him. "But I _like_ to."

"Oh," Henry nodded. "Okay." Then Margaret gave him a hesitant smile and said, "Wanna see what I got you for a present?"

Henry looked at the pile of presents on the present table near the boat and said, "which one did you get me? One of the really _big_ ones?"

"I'm not talking about the presents on the table," Margaret told him. "I'm talking about _another_ present." She smiled. "Can you guess what it is?"

"No," Henry told her. "But I'm very excited!"

"All right," Margaret said shakily. "Shut your eyes."

Henry obeyed, and then Margaret took a deep breath and kissed him quick on the lips before flushing a bright scarlet and running away.

Henry opened his eyes and saw Margaret running away. He ran after her crying "Maggie, come back!" Finally, he got her to stop and he took her hand. "Are you okay?" He asked. "That was a nice kiss. Thank you."

"You're welcome," she said. "I couldn't do it longer."

"That's okay," Henry shrugged. "It's my _best_ present!"

"Really?" Margaret asked as she felt her face cool. "Well, good."

After that, Lenora called all the kids together for cake. Henry blew out his candles and then, much to Lenora's dismay, a grinning James came out with an old sword of his to use as a knife to cut the cake.

"Wow," Henry said, his eyes wide. "Daddy, can I have _that_ for a present?"

"No," James shook his head and pulled the sword against himself possessively. "This is mine. But we'll see about getting you one when you turn sixteen." Lenora frowned and then James backpedaled a little. "If it's all right with your mother, that is."

"Nice save," Lenora told him dryly.

"I know," James grinned and took her in his arms. "Wasn't it?"

"Hey, hey, hey," Lenora said when she felt his hand moving down toward her butt. "Not in front of all the kids, okay?"

"Fine," James grinned. "But how else shall I entertain myself?"

"Oh, I'm sure you can find a way," Lenora told him. He then grabbed a piece of cake and turned to go back into the house, but then paused and came to shove the cake in Lenora's face.

"Hey!" Lenora cried. "What did you do that for?"

"Food fight!" James cried.

Suddenly, all the baked treats Selina had made so carefully began flying through the air and getting in people's hair and on their clothes. Henry tossed stuff with enthusiasm until, covered with cake and frosting, he noticed Margaret struggling to avoid being hit by anything so it wouldn't ruin her clothes. He ran over and shielded her.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"I'm helping you keep your clothes clean!" Henry told her. "But you really shouldn't wear nice dresses to my birthday parties anymore."

"All right," Margaret said as cake and pie flew around them. "I'll remember that."

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you started a food fight at Henry's party!" Lenora scolded James later. "What were you thinking? You're as bad as those kids!"<p>

"Oh, come on!" James said and took a piece of cake out of her hair. "The kids had a great time. What are you being so uptight about?"

"Well, I don't know!" Lenora cried. "Why don't you just _look_ at me!"

"All right," James said, his gaze sweeping his body. "You definitely look all right to me."

"I'm covered in fucking cake!" Lenora cried.

James chuckled. "So you are," he said. "And what do you intend to do about that?"

"Well, I don't know!" Lenora shouted back.

"Why don't you take a shower?" James asked.

"I could," Lenora replied.

"And since it's entirely my fault that you look like this," James waved his hand in the direction of her body, "I could help you."

"Or," Lenora grinned and zapped herself clean. "I could do that. What do you think?"

"Damn," James pouted. "That's no fun."

"Well, I'm sorry," Lenora replied. Then she zapped up a good-sized piece of cake and shoved it in his face. "How about that?" She asked. "Was_ that _fun?"

James wiped frosting off his face and and then licked it off his finger. "Oh, that's tasty," he said. "It's a real shame you went and magicked yourself clean. My mother was a witch, you know, and despite that, she did everything by hand."

"Well, that's because if she didn't, she'd get burned at the stake," Lenora responded dryly. "Am I right?"

"True," James replied. "But if my mother could do things by hand, it certainly wouldn't hurt you."

"Well, your mother seems like an absolute saint," Lenora replied. "She'd probably consider it a fortunate thing that that flu or whatever it was carried her off before she could see all the trouble you caused."

"Oh, she knew about that," James admitted. "I've always been that way."

"And while we're on the subject," Lenora continued. "No swords for Henry, ever. He'll probably end up thinking it's something to play with and end up chopping off an arm, or something."

"Well, all right," James replied and started removing his shirt. "No swords for Henry. But what do you say we play with mine for a bit?" He asked and then unzipped his pants.

Lenora rolled her eyes. "You're impossible, you know that?" She asked as she went into his arms."

"Yes," James nodded and kissed her. "I love you too."


	23. Ways To Show Love

Selina was frosting some cupcakes when she felt arms encircle her waist. She let out a brief shriek, turning around and blindly squirting the tube of pink frosting in the direction of whomever had grabbed her. Then, she opened her eyes and burst out laughing cause Elijah had it all over his face and in his hair. "Oh, my god," she said. "I'm so sorry!"

"Sure you aren't," Elijah replied, putting her over his shoulder. "But right now, I'm too happy to care."

Selina looked down and saw that he was shirtless, barefoot, and in his jeans again. "So, what's the special occasion?" She asked. "Has our little tiff about Alistair and Astrid come to an end?"

"Maybe not," Elijah told her. "But I'm feeling happy enough to forgive you. I finally found a way to get my father off our backs."

"Really?" Selina asked. "What did you do?"

"Simple," Elijah replied as he strode into the bedroom. "I suggested he go visit my brother, Kol. Surely, Kol's done something that's made him more worthy of my father's attention than myself."

"You know, that's a very dirty trick," Selina told him. He grinned and unzipped his pants. "Not compared to some others I know," he said. "Let me show them to you."

Selina grinned, put her arms around Elijah's neck and said, "Okay."

He kissed her as he pulled off her shirt and bra, and then reluctantly paused so he could remove her skirt and her panties. Then, he kissed her again, down her neck and onto her collarbone before greedily sucking on her nipples. The slight but pleasant pain shot through her body and made her gasp.

Hearing her gasp made Elijah smile and he took her in his arms to kiss her before he pushed into her and she giggled, crying out "Yes!" at the top of her lungs, over and over again. Afterward, they lay beside each other, panting as he massaged her inner thighs.

"Did you _seriously_ set your father on your brother?" Selina asked Elijah. "Don't you think that's a little harsh?"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "I don't think it's harsh at all. Father always needs someone to bother and I think we've put in our fair share of time. Now it's someone else's turn to suffer."

"You're such a giving brother," Selina giggled.

Just then, the phone rang, Elijah got up and went to grab his robe when it stopped ringing. Apparently, someone else had gotten it. "Well, that was nice," Elijah said. He and Selina resumed kissing until there was a knock at the door. Then, both of them grabbed their robes, put them on, and invited the person in.

"Here's the phone," Margaret said as she held it out. She'd meant to give it to them right away, but she'd felt it necessary to tell Annaliese about her kiss with Henry and didn't want her daddy to know about that yet. "It's Annaliese, wondering when you're gonna pick her up from school."

"All right," Elijah nodded, taking the phone. "Thank you, darling."

"You're welcome," Margaret replied, and strode from the room. Elijah and Selina then talked to Annaliese about her last months of school before promising to come and pick her up the next day. Then, Elijah went to hang up the phone, still chuckling to himself about the probable look on Kol's face when their father showed up at his front door.

* * *

><p>"So what are you planning to do with yourself now that school's over and until you start beauty school?" Edward asked Laura as he watched her try and paint her toenails.<p>

"Well, I don't know," she replied. "There are some really awesome workout classes at the gym down the street. I was thinking of signing up for one of those until the baby comes."

"Are you sure workout classes are a good idea?" Edward asked. "It might put too much strain on you."

"It won't, I promise," Laura replied. "The classes I would be looking at are the ones designed specifically for pregnant women, so I wouldn't end up overexerting or hurting myself. Plus, I don't want to use pregnancy as an excuse to let myself go. It'll only be harder to lose the weight after I do that."

"Well, all right," Edward sighed. "If you feel that's the right thing to do."

"And you think I'm wrong, even though I'm the one who knows how I feel better than you do?" Laura asked. "It's sweet that you worry, babe, but honestly, you'll end up killing yourself. Relax, okay? And if there's something to worry about, I _swear_ I'll let you know."

"All right," Edward replied. "I-I'll try to lighten up."

"Good," Laura replied. "Cause being so tense all the time isn't good for a person!" She continued to try and paint her toenails with some difficulty, then Edward finally got down on his knees in front of her. "Do you want me to just do that for you?" He asked her.

"Oh, you don't have to," Laura replied. "I can manage."

"Really?" Edward asked. "Cause it looks like you're struggling."

Laura looked into his earnest face and slowly handed the nail polish bottle to him. "Thank you," she said.

Edward nodded and took it, deftly painting the toes she still hadn't done yet, then putting the lid back on the bottle. "Anything else I can do for you?" He asked.

Laura shook her head. "Not that I can think of."

"Do you need me to drive you to work later?"

"No," Laura replied. "The bar's been closed ever since Enid left with Owen and probably will be until Roxie, who manages the place now, can rework everyone's schedules."

"All right," Edward replied. "I'm gonna go read. Yell at me if you need anything."

"All right," Laura replied, watching him go. She'd never tell him, but ever since he'd activated his gene and had to turn once a month, she'd worried about him. He wasn't the overly macho jock type of werewolf that activated their gene, and every transformation, even the ones after the first, had been difficult on him. She'd thought about asking Enid if there was a potion she had to deactivate it, but now that Enid was gone, the chance was lost.

After her toenails were dry, she walked over to the phone and called the bar. "Enid's," came Roxie's surprisingly cheerful voice. "If you're calling to ask about the work schedule, it'll take me at least another week or so to work out. If you're calling about when we're gonna reopen, the previous statement should answer that question."

"Roxie, is that you?" Laura asked. "Or is this a message on a machine?"

"No, it's me," Roxie replied. "And you are the last person I'd expect to call here. I thought you'd enjoy having time off."

"Not really," Laura replied. "I'm working on finding ways to occupy my time though. What I was calling about was if Enid left any magic stuff at the bar, or if she took it all with her."

"'Magic stuff'?" Roxie asked. "What would you need Enid's magic for? To find out whether the kid you're gonna have is a boy or a girl?"

"No, we're gonna be surprised when it comes to that," Laura replied. "What I want is something that will deactivate Edward's gene."

There was silence on the other end of the line, then a sigh. "I don't know what to tell you about that," Roxie finally said apologetically. "That seems like pretty strong magic, so if Enid _had_ something like that, I bet she took it with her when she left."

"All right," Laura nodded. "Thanks for your help anyway."

"Why are you asking?" Roxie asked. "Is Edward having trouble with his transformations?"

"Well, there hasn't been any problem so far," Laura said. "But he's worn out and sick after every transformation. I don't think he's strong enough to handle it long term, so it's something I want to be able to relieve him of, especially with the baby coming. He doesn't need the extra stress."

"I'm sure he doesn't," Roxie replied. "But I'm sorry. I don't know what to tell you."

"I know," Laura sighed. "Thanks for listening, though."

"You're welcome," Roxie replied. "And I'll call you when work starts up again. You just tell me what you can do and what you can't." She then hung up and Laura went to talk to Edward. As soon as she came in the room, he put his book down and motioned for her to come sit next to him on the bed.

"What's going on?" He asked. "What do you need?"

"Nothing," Laura replied. "I just came in to talk to you."

"All right," Edward replied. "What about?"

"I've been worried about you ever since you first transformed," Laura confessed. "I swore I wouldn't say anything because you seemed okay with it, but do you realize how sick you get after every transformation? Don't you wish all that would stop?"

"Yes," Edward admitted after a moment. "But there's nothing we can do now that Enid is gone. I can put up with it. I swear. Don't trouble yourself."

"Why not?" Laura replied. "It makes me sad to see you get so sick because of something that shouldn't have happened in the first place. It wasn't your fault that fucking deer pranced onto the road. You didn't mean to kill those people and you shouldn't be punished for it. It's not fair."

"Well, not everything in life is," Edward replied sadly and took her in his arms. "We just have to take what we're dealt and do the best we can with it."

"But," Laura said, "if there was a way to stop you from transforming and it was in reach, would you let me get it for you? Would you get it for yourself?"

"Yes," Edward replied and kissed the top of her head. "But there _is_ no such thing, so don't let yourself get all worked up over nothing."

"All right," Laura replied. "I won't. I promise."

* * *

><p>But despite her promise, she couldn't let it go. The next day, she called Addie, "You know how Enid is your mom?" She asked.<p>

"Yeah," Addie replied. "What about it?"

"Did she..did she leave you an address when she left with Owen?" Laura asked. "I-I really need to ask her about a spell for Edward. To deactivate his gene."

"Well, I hate to tell you that she didn't give us a specific address," Addie said. "But she told us she'd send us post cards and once I get one, I'll give you the address of where it came from. I'm not guaranteeing that it'll work, but it's something."

"Yes, it is," Laura replied gratefully. "Thank you, Addie. Thank you very much."

* * *

><p>"So, let me get this straight," Alistair told Astrid from his hospital bed. "I was possessed by Conal again."<p>

"Yep," Astrid nodded. "You were. and because of that, I briefly lost my job at the Council, but now I have it back again."

"Anything else important happen?" Alistair asked, poking his Jell-O with a fork and wishing he was somewhere else. "Did I...did I propose marriage to another woman while I was possessed? When I came to, I saw a strange brunette in a wedding dress."

"There was a proposal made," Astrid said carefully.

Alistair looked sick upon hearing this news and took Astrid in his arms. "Oh, you poor dear," he said. "Having to see me gallivant around with other women while you wait steadfastly by my side! I am a lucky man to have such a patient, loving, and faithful wife."

Astrid had resolved not to tell Alistair about what had happened between her and Conal, but hearing her husband extoll her faithfulness with she had in fact been *unfaithful* was just too much. She sighed and said, "it wasn't you that had the affair. It was me. Conal took an interest in me while he was in your body, and he told me that he would kill both of us if I didn't..." She began to sob and couldn't finish the sentence as Alistair stared at her, shocked. "Didn't _what_?" He asked.

"Don't make me finish the sentence, Alistair, please." Astrid begged. "I'm ashamed enough as it is."

"I remember one night I woke up and I was in bed with you," Alistair said. "We were both naked but I didn't remember undressing or anything like that. Are you telling me it was because prior to me momentarily being aware, you were basically sleeping with Conal and not me?"

"Yes," Astrid nodded, her tears stopping and her expression becoming firm. "That's true. But didn't you hear me say that Conal would have killed both of us if I hadn't given in to his advances? Is fidelity so important to you that you'd rather we'd died?"

"If that meant that you remained faithful to me, yes!" Alistair cried. "I thought we had a good relationship, Astrid. I thought you cared about me!"

"I _do_ care about you!" Astrid replied. "Which is why I did everything I could to keep you alive, you idiot! If you want to feel betrayed and play the martyr, fine. But I'm not gonna admit that I did anything wrong because I didn't. I did what I had to do, and that's all."

"Fine," Alistair replied. "If that's how things are going to be, if you choose not to feel the least bit repentant about breaking my heart, I want you out of our house by the time I get out of the hospital. Find your own place and you can have all the orgies you want, but you won't be having any more in our bed."

Astrid felt her lip tremble, but over her dead body was she gonna feel bad about doing the right thing. "All right, Alistair," she said quietly. "I guess I have no choice but to respect your decision. I'm sorry we couldn't work this out. But I'm going to miss you."

"You lie," Alistair said quietly, his eyes narrowed. "Now, get out of my sight."

* * *

><p>Despite how sure he'd seemed initially about his break up with Astrid, after the passion of the moment wore off, he was less sure.<p>

"I don't think I should forgive her," He told Elijah. He'd headed to his friend's house the second he'd been let out of the hospital. "I mean she _did_ cheat on me."

"That's true," Elijah replied. "She did. She even confessed to it."

"She claimed it was for my own good, but I think she was just making excuses," Alistair continued. "And I shouldn't have to put up with that."

"No," Elijah shook his head. "You shouldn't. So, is she still living with you? I would assume not."

"Of course not," Alistair replied. "I told her she had to move out of our house by the time I got out of the hospital. I haven't checked to see if she's gone yet because I came straight here after I was released, but I'm going to check after we're done here."

"Well, would you like me to come with you?" Elijah asked. "I'd be happy to."

"All right," Alistair nodded. "I think I'd appreciate the company, thank you. Only, I don't think Selina should know where we're going."

"Oh, of course not," Elijah agreed. "She kicked up enough of a fuss when she first found out about Astrid cheating. She's going to react even worse if she finds out that you've ended your relationship with Astrid because of it. She thought what Astrid did was completely justified."

"Well, based on how she treated you in the past, I'm not surprised," Alistair replied dryly.

They stared at each other for a moment and then both rose at the same time. "Are you ready to go?" Elijah asked Alistair.

Alistair took a breath and nodded. "Let's go to my house and get the examination over with."

Before they left, Elijah peered out the door and into the hallway, praying that Selina wouldn't pop up, as she often did at inopportune moments. Then, he remembered that she was gone watching one of Colin's many sporting events. "Selina is gone," He told Alistair. "We should be able to get out of here without trouble."

And he was right. They got away from the house and drove to Alistair and Astrid's, which seemed desolate and lonely. They went inside and it was quiet. Clearly, Astrid had listened and kept her word.

"So, now that you have this house to yourself," Elijah asked after they looked in every room, "How are you going to occupy your time?"

"I don't know," Alistair shrugged. "But I bet I'll be able to think of something."


	24. Commitment

Laura tried and tried to keep her mind off of Edward and his transformations, but when the night of the next full moon arrived and Edward prepared to go off to Enid's, she ran and blocked the door.

"You can't leave!" She cried. "You just can't! I won't have you turning in a place where you're all alone again! It's making you sick and you have no idea why."

"It's nothing to worry about," Edward told her. "It probably happens to everyone." He tried to move her aside. "Let me leave, please Laura."

"No," Laura shook her head firmly. "Mom has an uncle, he knows all about this stuff. I'll take you to him instead, you can transform there, and then afterward, he'll figure out what's wrong with you."

Edward really didn't want to listen to her, but he also couldn't afford the strength it would take to argue with her. It took nearly all he had just to transform.

"All right," he sighed. "I'll get in the car with you and go to your uncle's, but I have no idea what good it will do."

"Well," Laura replied. "It might help. Think positive, would ya?"

* * *

><p>"Who are you?" Diana asked as she opened the door of Jake's house and looked suspiciously at Laura and Edward.<p>

"We're here to see Jake," Laura replied. "Can we come in? Is he here?"

But Diana still wouldn't budge. "What do you want with Jake?" She asked. "It's not a good day for him to have visitors. In fact, it would probably be best for you to turn on your heels and leave."

When Laura refused to move, Diana let out a growl and was about to snap at the other girl when she paused at the touch of Joey's hand on her shoulder. "Laura? Edward? What are you two doing here?"

"You know them?" Diana asked in surprise, moving Joey's hand from her shoulder and stepping back.

"Yeah," Joey replied. "We're related."

"Oh," Diana replied and looked apologetically at Laura. "Sorry. Come in."

"Thank you," Laura replied. "I just...I thought Edward could transform here tonight. And then he always gets sick afterward, so I thought Jake would know of something to cure him."

"He gets sick after transforming?" Joey asked.

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "What?" She asked when she saw the change in Diana's face.

"Oh, nothing," Diana replied. "Really. He'll be fine."

"You know something, don't you?" Laura asked. "Whatever it is, tell me, please."

Diana struggled with saying anything, so Laura looked at Joey. "Can you tell me what she won't?" She asked him.

"No," Joey shook his head. "Sorry. I'm just as clueless as you."

Just then, Jake came into the room. "Laura!" He said. "Edward! What brings the pair of you here?"

"She says transforming makes Edward sick," Diana told him. "And she wonders if you can fix it."

"He gets sick after he transforms?" Jake asked, eyebrow raised. "Seriously?"

"Is that weird?" Laura asked. "Please tell us you can fix it."

"Oh, I can fix it," Jake assured her. "It's nothing serious. But it's rare to find post-transformation illness in an active werewolf."

"Why?" Laura asked.

"Because the sickness occurs when an initiated werewolf is not psychologically and/or physically prepared for the transformation," Jake replied. He looked at Edward. "Did you come from a werewolf family that was fully aware of their heritage?"

"Yes, sir," Edward nodded. "All my brothers are really athletic, muscular jock types. I became a scholar and my father didn't think I needed the training he gave everyone else cause he knew that I was too wimpy to ever activate my gene. I guess it never occurred to him that it might happen on accident."

"Makes sense," Jake nodded. "Purely intellectual werewolves are rare beings. Most grow up to be sporty jock types, so they get the physical work out naturally, and then someone gives them the psychological later, or else that is something they acquire as their transformations go along and they learn to deal with them. The only reason _I _knew about any of this was because of the research I did prior to my own transformation."

"So...you think you can help Edward with that too?" Laura asked hopefully.

"Sure," Jake assured her. "But it's gonna take time. I just can't make it happen overnight. We'll do what we can to start getting him ready physically today, and that might minimize the sickness he'll feel after the transformation ends tonight."

"All right," Edward nodded after a few seconds. "Let's get started. I'm ready." He and Jake spent the rest of the day lifting weights and doing other types of exercise in the yard while Joey and Diana talked to Laura.

"I hope what Jake is saying will actually work," she said. "I don't want Edward to die."

"He wouldn't _die_," Diana told her.

"All right," Laura replied. "But I don't like seeing him sick either. It's kind of stressful."

"And you're pregnant, right?" Diana asked. "So stress is probably something you can do without."

"Yeah, I'm pregnant," Laura nodded. "And I wish I was further along, if you get what I mean."

"Do you still talk with Edward's parents?" Diana asked. "How do they feel about him marrying a non-werewolf?"

"Probably the same way your parents would feel about you being with Joey if they knew," Laura replied. "I met them once and I have no intention of doing it ever again. Edward's bonded with my father instead, which is a good thing...except for sometimes. They can be a bit much when they're together."

"We haven't exactly told my father we're together," Diana replied. "His mom and dad know, but my dad doesn't. Or his stupid girlfriend. She's the same age as me and I hate her. He's so involved with her, I highly doubt he's noticed that Joey and I left forever ago and haven't come back."

"My daddy's the overprotective type," Laura told her. "He wouldn't even let me work at the _bar_ until my mom convinced him it was safe."

"You worked at Enid's?" Diana asked her. "Wow. I always wanted to, but my dad's kind of obsessed with being 'off the grid' you know. It's a pain in the ass."

"I'm sorry," Laura replied.

* * *

><p>The conversation continued until nightfall when both Edward and Diana had to follow Jake into the basement so they could transform, leaving Laura and Joey to talk to each other.<p>

"How's your mom?" Laura asked him. "Has she been handling this whole 'you not actually being her kid' thing well? Mom decided to throw her a party and that went well, I heard. Well, at least til an uncle of ours showed up."

"I honestly haven't talked to her much since I found out about everything," Joey replied. "She was given ownership of the bar with Aunt Enid being gone and everything, so hopefully, she throws herself into that and doesn't have a lot of time to think about things that make her angry or upset."

"I hope that for her too," Laura replied. They both heard the growling and noises from the basement and Laura wanted so badly to go down and see if Edward was okay, but Joey held on to her. "Stay here," he urged. "By now, there's really nothing you can do." So, despite the fact that it hurt her inside, Laura stayed upstairs, watching the door to the basement without blinking until Jake helped a struggling Edward up the stairs with Diana bringing up the rear.

"The workout didn't seem to do much good," Laura observed as she ran over to Edward, who was sweating profusely and looking like he was about to pass out.

"We need to get him to bed," Jake replied. "Diana, take his other side, would you?"

"Sure," Diana replied and grabbed Edward's hand so that she and Jake could get Edward up to bed. When he was settled, Laura went up to see him.

"You feel like hell, don't you?" She asked him as she pushed his sweaty hair out of his eyes.

"Kind of, yes," Edward nodded and coughed.

"Well, you should get some sleep," Laura replied. "It looks like the transformation took a lot out of you."

A sudden twinkle showed in Edward's eyes. "You know," he said. "I think I'd sleep a lot better if you were here in bed with me."

"Nice try, Mister," Laura said, although she smiled. "I don't want to be a distraction to you. You don't need any of those."

"Says who?" Edward asked, struggling to sit up so he could get a better view of her butt as she strode to the door.

"I do," Laura said firmly before she closed the door. "Goodnight, Edward."

"Good night," Edward said half-heartedly. Then Laura blew him a kiss, turned off the light, and shut the door.

* * *

><p>"That was some rush," Diana said as she came into Joey's room and began undressing. "But then again, transforming always is."<p>

"What are you doing?" Joey asked her. "Why are you here? You have your own room!"

"Well," Diana grinned as, naked, she climbed into bed beside him. "I thought it would be more fun to sleep with _you_ tonight. We've never done it before, and I think tonight is as good a time as any."

Joey looked over her body and felt his whole body go warm. Her eyes were full of desire. She clearly wanted him. She leaned forward to kiss him, but he pushed her away. "I can't!" He cried. "Sorry." He then turned around and refused to face her.

"What's the matter?" She prodded, her hand creeping in his boxers. "Don't you want me?"

"Yes!" Joey replied. "But why the hell would you want me? If you weren't all messed up from being turned, you wouldn't want me at all because I'm a guy with a bum leg! There are tons of buff, sexy werewolf guys out there. Go have sex with one of them, _please!_"

But instead of leaving, Diana just put her arm around his middle. "I think I'll stay here," she said. "And we don't have to have any fun until you're ready. Cause I don't want anyone else, Joey. I want _you_."

* * *

><p>Elijah looked up as Selina flung his office door open and strode in.<p>

"Yes?" He asked calmly, despite the fact that she was obviously enraged. "How can I help you?"

"When were you planning on telling me that Alistair had banished Astrid to another house?" She asked. He could practically see the steam coming out of her nostrils.

"I didn't think you cared about that," Elijah replied. "After all, wasn't it you who said we shouldn't get involved in Astrid and Alistair's personal affairs?"

"How could he dump her just like that?!" Selina asked. "She loves him!"

"I refuse to visit this subject again," Elijah said firmly. "I know what you're gonna say, and you know what _I'm_ gonna say, so to go through all that again is just pointless. Now, kindly remove yourself from my office."

"Fine," Selina replied. "I'm gonna go see Astrid. Goodbye!"

After she was gone, Elijah looked up and chuckled. Such a flair for the dramatic his Selina had. It really was adorable at times, and at other times, incredibly irritating. Right now, he wasn't sure whether this case would be the former or the latter.

* * *

><p>Just as Selina got outside the house, she realized that she had no idea where Astrid had gone. She called Adrian to see if he or Helene had heard from her.<p>

"Yeah," Adrian replied. "She's at our house, actually. Says she wants to be with us until the baby's born. She seems to think if I'm not watched 24/7, I'll run off again. Now tell me, do you think that's fair?"

"Well, given what happened last time," Selina replied, "I don't blame her for being a little nervous. You don't plan to run off, do you?"

"And this from my own mother, too!" Adrian sighed. "No, I don't."

"Do you mind if I come over?" Selina asked. "Or have you reached your limit for company?"

"No, you can come," Adrian replied. "Be my guest."

So Selina went over to Adrian and Helene's where she found Astrid fussing over her daughter.

"It's all right, Mom," Helene was insisting as Astrid was covering her up with blankets and continually bringing her food to eat. "I promise, I'm fine."

"I don't know," Astrid replied. "Maybe it would be best for you not to exert yourself too much."

"This is the third time I've been pregnant, Mom," Helene replied impatiently. "I know how to take care of myself." She then frowned when she saw Adrian chuckle. "And just _what_ is so funny?"

"It's just fun to watch this when it's happening to you and not to me," Adrian told her. "It's like looking in a mirror, only, your mom is playing the part of you, and you're being me."

Helene just narrowed her eyes at him and blew a raspberry in his direction.

"I might be able to help," Selina got out, since Astrid hadn't noticed her before. "Astrid, you wanna talk? Maybe give the kids some time to themselves?"

"All right," Astrid sighed and then gave Adrian a look. "But you better watch her closely and don't you run off while I'm gone."

"All right," Adrian replied. "I will."

So Selina and Astrid went to another part of the house, Astrid zapped them both up a drink, and they started to talk. "How are you doing?" Selina asked her. "I mean, I just found out about you and Alistair."

Astrid sighed. "I only did what I did cause I didn't want him to get killed. But apparently, he took offense at my methods. Now he's got the house to himself and I can't imagine what he's doing there."

"Alistair?" Selina asked. "Nothing you'd have to worry about, I don't think. You know how your house has that big library in it? I bet he sat himself down there and is using the peace and quiet to read every book you own."

"What if he decides to go after another woman?" Astrid asked. "I know there's only a slim chance of it happening, but with how mad he is, I can just imagine him going out and getting another woman just so he can throw it in my face."

"Are you thinking of dating again?" Selina asked.

"Me?" Astrid asked, eyes wide. "After what happened between me and Conal that led to this big mess? Heavens no. I'll just stay here with the kids when I'm not working at the council. Put all my attention into being a grandmother again and maybe-maybe I won't miss Alistair so much, then."

"I tried that tactic at one point," Selina replied. "In the late nineteenth century, right after Elijah's brother Alexander, who just happened to be my first husband, left me. I spent some time alone, then Joshua showed up and we connected. He invited me to live with him and his wife and kids, who accepted me despite the fact that they were humans and I was a vampire. It was a nice enough arrangement, I suppose. But there _were_ times I got lonely."

Astrid nodded. "I know there'll probably be lonely times for me, too. But it's what I deserve, isn't it?"

"No," Selina shook her head and put a hand on Astrid's shoulder. "It's not what you deserve at all. But if it's the only way to get your thickheaded husband back, it's what you'll have to do."

"Do you _really_ think he'll want to come back to me?" Astrid asked.

"Yes," Selina nodded. "You two...you have one of the best relationships I know of. This is just a rut. Whomever Alistair is with now, he'll get sick of them, and sooner or later, he'll come back to you."


	25. In Search Of A Runaway

After a few months, it was July, and Laura felt like she wanted to die.

"Why can't seven months be the right length for pregnancy?" She groaned. "This is just horrible!"

"Whenever you're upset, think of your mother," Edward advised. "And be grateful that you aren't having triplets." But he helped her back to the sofa and got her a bottle of water. "You know, a lack of morning sickness doesn't compensate for all the other crap I have to go through right now," Laura complained. "I hate this so much!"

"Only two more months," Edward told her. "Just hold on to that."

"That's probably what you're doing too, right?" Laura asked.

Edward thought it would be best not to answer that question, and instead sat down at the piano and began playing Laura some soothing music, hoping that it would help get her mind off her discomfort. Eventually, she dozed off and Edward put a blanket over her. He then turned around to see Jake's girlfriend Sherry standing behind him.

"Oh, hello," he said.

"Hi," Sherry replied. "If you want to go out and do something, I can watch Laura."

"Are you sure?" Edward asked.

"Yeah, no problem," Sherry replied. "You go on."

Edward nodded and went to give Laura a kiss on her forehead before he went to see Jake so they could work on his fitness.

"I like Sherry," he said to Jake. "Have you told her the truth about you? You know, what we are? I'm gonna presume you haven't, since you sent her off to the movies and told her not to come back until later."

"I'm gonna tell her at some point," Jake said uncomfortably. "It's just that...she's human, you know? And I don't know how she'll handle finding out she's involved with a werewolf. You're lucky with Laura. It's not a shock to her at all."

Edward scoffed. "It was a shock to her father. He didn't take the news well. Thank god for Laura's mother."

"It's interesting," Jake replied. "I didn't meet Selina when she was alive. I died way before that. But I would have liked to have known her then. She was quite a handful for her mother."

Edward nodded. "She and Laura seem very similar, so I can imagine," he said with a fond grin. He then grabbed a couple of weights and began doing curls.

"How have you been feeling lately?" Jake asked. "Okay? I want to make sure that what we're doing is working, or if I need to adjust it."

"No, I'm good," Edward replied.

"All right," Jake nodded. "Perfect."

* * *

><p>After his workout, he went to take a shower, and when he came out, towel wrapped around his waist, he started when he saw Laura sitting on the bed with a grin on her face. "Were you seriously about to cover up when you saw me?" She grinned. "I really don't get you sometimes, Edward."<p>

"Yes, well," Edward grabbed some underwear and a pair of slacks, putting them on underneath the towel and then pulling the towel away. "There," he said. Laura groaned. "You know, you're really depriving me of a good view."

"You'll have plenty of time to get a good view later," Edward said. "How was your nap?"

"It was okay," Laura replied. "Very refreshing."

"I hope you'll still be tired enough to fall asleep tonight," Edward told her. "Instead of lying awake for hours."

"Oh, that's not a problem," Laura replied. "If I _do_ stay awake, you'll know how to tire me out, right?"

"I should have known," Edward sighed. "You're keeping yourself awake on purpose. It's part of a plot!" But he grinned and came to give her a kiss anyway. "Don't worry," he said. "I'll help you fall asleep tonight."

* * *

><p>However, not everyone in the house slept as well. After Diana and Joey had settled in for the night, and were sleeping soundly, they were abruptly awakened by the sound of their bedroom window breaking. Diana felt someone grab her, and as she struggled against that person, the lights came on and Jake said, "What the hell is going on here?"<p>

"Nothing," the woman who was holding Diana with a hand over her mouth said. "Just looking for a runaway is all. It's none of your business."

Then Diana shoved her elbow into the woman's gut and was let go, panting. "You touch me again, Hayley," she panted. "And I _swear_..."

"Who _is_ this?" Joey asked.

"It's my father's..._girlfriend_, to use the term loosely," Diana replied, then turned her attention to the skinny, dark-eyed woman. "What do you want, Hayley?"

"Your father wants me to bring you home," Hayley replied. "He's scared to death about your running away. He said you were holed up somewhere with a Talbot."

"Technically, I'm not a Talbot," Joey corrected her. "Enid, your BOSS, is my real mom, so if you have a problem with Diana and me, take it up with her and leave us alone!"

"Stay out of this!" Hayley commanded. "It's none of your business." She then glared at Diana. "I'm going to stay here until you come with me," she said. "Your father didn't want me to come back empty-handed.

When she heard that, Diana sighed. Her father was known to use his fists on people who displeased him, and although she hated this woman with every fiber of her being, she didn't want to see her get hurt. "All right," she said. "I'll come peacefully as long as Joey gets to come too, and we don't leave until tomorrow, after I've had time to say 'Goodbye' to everyone."

Hayley rolled her eyes. "Fine," she said. "But no more stalling after that."

"All right," Diana replied. "I promise."

Hayley boosted herself in through the window and said, "I don't know where I'm gonna sleep."

Just then, Joey zapped in a pillow, blanket, and air mattress. "There," he said. "Goodnight."

"Thank you," Hayley replied, surprised by the act of kindness. "Good night."

* * *

><p>"Remind me why you wanted me to come out with you again?" Elijah asked Alistair.<p>

"Cause you have to help me find a woman!" Alistair replied. "I've been keeping to myself ever since I threw Astrid out and now I want to see what's out there."

Elijah sighed as Alistair parked in the parking lot of the strip club. "You know that I support you wanting to teach Astrid a lesson, but do you _really _think that this is the best way to do it? And while I value our friendship, I really think you should have brought Niklaus to do this with you."

"I don't know," Alistair replied. "You're not such a bad wingman. And I've heard that this place has some rather attractive young ladies in it."

Oh, god help me, Elijah thought to himself as Alistair dragged him through the door, the warlock's eyes widening at the scantily clad woman. One of the servers caught his eye, gave him a wink, and then came over to them. "What can I do for you boys?" She asked.

It took awhile for Alistair to answer cause his eyes were focused on her chest, and he only moved them upward when Elijah cleared his throat and gave him a nudge. "We'd like table," Alistair got out.

"Well, all right, handsome," the waitress replied. "You two cuties just come right this way."

They followed her and Elijah whispered to Alistair, "If anything bad happens, I'm holding _you_ responsible. Remember, Selina was Lonely Heart once and the slightest _hint _of betrayal could ruin the stable woman I've worked so hard to make her over the years."

"Oh, _relax_ and don't be such a killjoy!" Alistair said, slapping Elijah on the back, ordering two beers for himself. "This is supposed to be fun and it can't be if you're worrying all the time."

"Oh, all right," Elijah replied. The beers were brought and Alistair pushed one toward Elijah. "Drink up," he said, and then told the waitress, just keep them coming. She nodded and headed off.

Elijah stared at the beer with a sick feeling. This had happened with Niklaus before, and it had never ended well. Shutting his eyes, he drank his beer slowly, instead of gulping it down, and tried his best to avoid the gyrating women on the stage. When _that_ failed to work, he sighed and sait to Selina, "I'm sorry, dear. I'm sorry," locked his eyes on the stage, and didn't look away.

* * *

><p>After the show, Elijah went with Alistair (and a date he'd picked up) to the car, and they drove him home. Because it was already darkening outside, Elijah hoped that he would just be able to sneak in without having to explain anything to Selina. He came in, and since he didn't see her right away, thought he was home free. But when he came into the living room, he heard her clear her throat and look up from the crossword puzzle she was doing. "Hey," she said with a smile. "How did things go with Alistair? You must've had a good time, since you were gone for so long." Then she came over to hug him, and when Elijah wouldn't hug back, she looked at him with concern. "Are you all right?" She asked. "What's the matter?"<p>

"Oh, nothing," Elijah said quickly. "I'm just...tired, is all. Good night!" He then started to stride quickly away. Selina ran after him. "Wait just a minute now!" She said. "I want to know what you did! Tell me, please. Unless it's something that I should be suspicious of..." her eyes narrowed.

"No!" Elijah said. "Alistair and I...he took me to a strip club, okay? I didn't enjoy it! It was a miserable experience. Please don't be mad and go out and kill someone cause you think I don't love you anymore."

Selina just gave him a long look and then burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Elijah asked.

"Oh, nothing," Selina grinned. "I'm just trying to picture you and Alistair together at a strip club and it's just...it's hilarious. I think I'll have to tell Astrid the next time I see her. Why'd he go with you and not your brother?"

"I don't know," Elijah replied. "And_ believe me, _I suggested it."

"I'm not surprised," Selina replied. "Now, how would you like to recover from what I presume was a less than pleasant experience?"

Elijah looked at her in surprise. "_What_?" He asked, blinking. "What did you say?"

"I asked how you wanted to recover from your evening out," Selina replied. "Why do you seem so shocked? Did you think I was gonna get mad or something?"

"Well...yes," Elijah admitted. "I did. But you're not."

"_Should_ I be?" Selina asked, hands on her hips.

"No!" Elijah shook his head. "Of course not!"

"I don't see what the problem is, then," Selina replied, taking Elijah's hand and pulling him off to their room, with a promise to show him a stripper act that he really _would_ enjoy.

* * *

><p>As Alistair should have expected, things with the stripper didn't go well, along with several other women who he knew in his heart were much too young for him. So, he resigned himself to staying in his house without company, and reading books again. Finally, one day, he heard a knock on his door.<p>

"Who could that be?" He asked as he went to answer it. He opened the door and saw a pretty blonde on the other side. He recognized her well, and felt shock coursing through his mind. "What are you doing here?" He asked her nervously, even starting to close the door on her. But she stopped it.

"You don't have to be scared of me," Hazel said. "I didn't come here to punish you. I cam to ask for your help. I've heard that people can come and talk to you and you help them with their problems. Is that true?"

"Yes," Alistair nodded. "I try my best."

"Well, my father has forced me to become human and he's trying to make me get married," Hazel explained, easing her way into the house and standing right in front of Alistair

"Oh?" Alistair's eyebrows rose. "I'm sorry."

"That's just the tip of the iceberg," Hazel replied. "Take me to wherever you have these meeting things and I'll tell you more."

"Oh, goody," Alistair thought to himself. "I can't wait." He let her proceed him, giving her directions to his office. He then opened the door for her and gestured for her to have a seat on the sofa.

"You know, I like you," she told him. "You're the only one who's treated me with the slightest amount of respect since I got my powers taken away."

"And I bet the fact that I'm still a little afraid of you doesn't hurt either, does it?" Alistair asked her.

"No," Hazel replied. "That's nice too." She then noticed the picture of Alistair and Astrid that was facing toward the seat she was sitting in instead of in its usual position facing Alistair. "Why is your picture of Astrid facing me?" She asked. "Shouldn't it be something _you_ want to look at?"

"Not at the moment," Alistair replied. "Astrid and I are separated because of what happened with your father. I hope he's proud of himself."

"I highly doubt he cares," Hazel replied. "But he seems to be having a good time with that trollop he exchanged Astrid for."

"Well, I'm glad he's happy," Alistair replied. "Now, enough of my problems. Let's talk about yours."

"In a minute," Hazel said with a grin. "I just thought of something: You and Astrid aren't seeing each other, my father wants me married, or at least to date...why don't you and I do something?"

"It's a bad idea for people in my position to see the people they're counseling socially," Alistair replied. "Besides, I've already tried seeing other women and it hasn't worked out well for me."

"Well, what sorts of women have you been dating?" Hazel pressed.

"Not the sort I'd usually date," Alistair replied. "But that's because I don't want to have a deep relationship with anyone. I just want some companionship until things between Astrid and me get better."

"Ah!" Hazel grinned. "So something shallow and meaningless. I understand."

"Don't take any offense to that," Alistair said quickly. "Please."

"Relax!" Hazel grinned, coming behind him to rub his shoulders. "I told you I couldn't hurt you anymore, remember?" She began to give him a massage. "Now, all I want to do is _help_ you."

Alistair protested feebly and then gave in, closing his eyes. He was probably gonna end up regretting this whole thing, but for now, he wanted to enjoy it. Even if dating Hazel _was_ a bit of a risk, at least she wasn't a stripper. Elijah would be proud of him.


	26. Most Unusual Game

"Thanks for suggesting to your mother that I have the job for her grand opening," Sam told Addie. "I'll try to do my best."

"Oh, you'll do great!" Addie reassured him. "Would it help if we did a quickie backstage before you went on, or would that just make things worse?"

"We wouldn't do it backstage if we did it at all," Sam told her. "But sure, that might help." He looked around to find a better place than backstage, somewhere more private. He knew he was good, but he didn't want everyone to hear. He finally settled on the break room and he and Addie went there, quickly undressing each other and then having sex on the sofa. They got so involved that they lost track of the time, so when it was time for Sam to go on, Roxie looked around for him until she heard the moaning coming from the break room. She grinned, opened the door, and said, without looking directly at Sam and Addie, "Comfy spot, that sofa?"

Sam and Addie both stopped moaning and looked up at Roxie in embarrassment.

"I just came to tell you that it's time for you to go on," Roxie told him. "At the very least, I suggest you put on pants."

"Yeah, right," Sam nodded, red still in his cheeks as he got off Addie and put his pants on. "And thanks for coming to tell me that it's almost show time. That was nice of you."

He grabbed his shirt and his guitar and went out. Addie got up to follow him so she could watch from backstage, but before she could go far, Roxie put a hand on her arm.

"You don't have to worry," Addie told her. "Sam can't get me pregnant."

"It wasn't about that," Roxie told her. "You can have sex wherever you want. Hell, even _your dad_ and I have had sex in here on the sofa. If I scolded you about that, it would make me a hypocrite."

"Ewww!" Addie cried and got off the sofa, dressing quickly. "Are you telling me that I just had sex in a place where you've _also_ had sex? Way to scar me for life! I _didn't_ need to hear that!"

"I know," Roxie chuckled. "I just wanted to see the disgusted look on your face." They heard the sound of a guitar being tuned. "You better get out there," Roxie told her. "It sounds like Sam is about to start."

"All right," Addie said, and then paused. "How come you're not more shocked about Sam and me?"

"Please," Roxie replied. "That's your M.O. with guys. I'll be shocked when you and Sam tell me you've decided to be exclusive."

At that, Addie burst out laughing as she saw a pair of panties fly up on the stage next to the stool Sam was sitting on. "Yeah," she said. "Like that will happen."

* * *

><p>"What, no Lucy today?" Sam asked Damon when the latter came to meet him after his set.<p>

"She had a thing," Damon replied. "I didn't think you'd miss her too much." He smirked at the pair of panties that were on Sam's dressing table. "You should keep those," he said. "They'll look good on you."

Sam looked down at them and sighed. "Just one of the perks of being an idol I guess: women giving you free panties." He paused. "I hope Roxie thinks I'm good enough that I can work here full time. I'd really like having a steady position."

"You would?" Damon asked. "That's kind of the last thing I'd expect to hear from you." He paused. "Are you doing this for Addie?"

Sam shrugged. "Probably. I don't know. I have this feeling that her dad doesn't really, you know, approve of me, and I think that maybe, if I _did_ have a steady job, he'd like me better."

"Yeah, that's basically why I signed up for the war," Damon told Sam. "I thought it would make your grandmother hate me less than she did if I did something noble like go to war. But little did I know that the only reason why she even let your mom and me get engaged in the first place was cause she figured I'd probably die on the battle field and then your mom would have no choice but to marry a boring man of your grandmother's choosing."

"Wow," Sam scoffed. "What a bitch. I don't think Vince is that bad, though. And even if he _is_ against me and Addie being together, I think Roxie is rooting for us and will get him to change his mind."

"After that gets cleared up, you'll only have one more problem to deal with," Damon replied with a grin.

"And what's that?" Sam asked.

"How to deal with a bunch of lustful ladies when you really only want one woman," Damon winked. Just then, there was a knock at the door and Addie poked her head in. "Sam, can I come in?"

"Sure," Sam replied and turned to his father. "If you'll excuse me, Dad," he said, "I have some business to attend to."

"I see that," Damon grinned. "Enjoy yourself, son."

* * *

><p>"Are we really going?" Joey asked Diana. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"<p>

"I really don't wanna go, but if we don't go with Hayley, my dad will hurt her," Diana explained. "And even if I dislike her with every fiber of my being, she doesn't deserve that."

"What if I just made your dad disappear?" Joey asked. "That would be good for everyone."

Diana sighed. "I wish I could agree with you, but he's my dad. I don't want him dead, or disappeared, or whatever."

"Why not?" Joey asked. "You ran away from him."

"Your dad-_both_ of your dads are two of the sweetest guys, so I wouldn't expect you to understand," Diana told him. "Sometimes, I think that if I just go away, then he'll miss me and then he'll change, so if I ever came back, I'd see a better man."

"I'm sorry," Joey told her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I had no idea."

"It's all right," Diana replied, brushing his sympathy away.

"No, it's not!" Joey replied firmly. "I've had parents that have cared about me all my life and you haven't. _Someone _should care about you, and I think...I think that person should be me." Then, before he could think about it too much, he grabbed a surprised Diana and kissed her.

"Wow," she replied when he pulled away. "I definitely wasn't expecting that."

"Oh," Joey nodded. "Sorry. Sometimes, emotion just takes me, and it makes me do things I regret."

"No, you shouldn't regret that!" Diana shook her head. "It was nice! We should do it again sometime."

"Really?" Joey asked. "All right. I'll see what I can do."

"I hope you two are ready to go," Hayley said, pushing her dark hair out of her eyes. "I'd hate to find out what your father would do to me if we were late."

Joey and Diana gave each other a long look before following Hayley out to her car. As they drove back to the area where Diana's pack was, the tension in the car was thick and suffocating.

"How mad is my father that I ran away?" Diana finally asked. "Is he...planning to kill me too?"

"Well, he definitely wasn't _happy_ that you left," Hayley replied. "I don't know specifically how he's gonna respond to it, I just know that it won't be good."

When they finally arrived at the site, instead of dawdling like he thought she would, Joey was surprised to see Diana jump out of the car and go confront her father directly. "Daddy," she said. "It was my idea to leave. You shouldn't punish Hayley for what I did."

"Oh, I don't intend to," he said. "She brought you back like I asked, so why would I hurt her? You, on the other hand...I'm still trying to think about what I'm going to do with you. Cause you know I don't like people who defy me, Diana. Your mother did, and that's why I killed her. I don't want to have to do the same thing to you, but I will."

"Just tell me what my punishment is," Diana replied quietly.

"All right," her father said, getting close to her so they were practically nose to nose. "At the next full moon, when the boys go to activate their genes, you'll go with them. You'll go with them and you'll bring back the person you kill just to prove you did it."

"But I can't," Diana replied. Her father gave her a hard slap. "Don't you _dare_ defy me!" He said. "You're lucky your punishment is only as bad as this."

"You think that making me turn is more merciful that killing me?" Diana asked.

"Yes," Her father replied. "And what's this nonsense you're telling me about how you can't turn?"

"I just can't," Diana replied. "I had Enid do a spell that made it impossible for me to deactivate my werewolf side, no matter what I do."

"Well, all right, then," her father replied. He hollered to some of the other men. "Take my daughter and this boy that she's so fond of and put them in confinement until the next full moon!" He ordered as a struggling Joey and Diana were led away. "And at that point, when it's time for the boys to go hunting, _they_ will be the prey!"

* * *

><p>"That was terrifying last night," Laura told Edward. "You know, when those people showed up? Good thing they didn't hurt us."<p>

"If they'd have tried, you know I would have fought for you," Edward told her. "You and the baby. What do you think we're having?"

"Well, if Enid wasn't gallivanting about with her husband, we'd know by now," Laura replied.

"Let me guess," Edward said. "You want a girl."

Laura shrugged. "I honestly don't care one way or the other. I'll be happy with whatever comes out." She paused. "You want a boy? Another boy that you and my father can turn into a little genius with slicked back hair and wearing suits?"

"You make it sound like that's a bad thing!" Edward exclaimed, pretending to be hurt.

"Oh, well," Laura replied. "You may have control over his wardrobe, but_ I _get control over his hair!"

"Nothing unusual though," Edward said quickly. "No neon streaks or anything like that."

Laura grinned. "It'll be some time before he actually _has_ hair for me to experiment with," she replied. "And I will use that time to win you over." She paused. "I guess that means we're both thinking about having a boy now."

"Yes," Edward nodded. "Seems like it. But if it's a girl, I won't be disappointed."

Just then, Jake came in. "You two okay?" He asked.

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "We're fine. Who came here last night?"

Jake sighed. "From what I heard, it was people from Diana's pack come looking for her and Joey. They're all gone now. To tell you the truth, I'm a little relieved. I heard Hazel is on the loose again, so I thought that they were gone because of something much worse than that."

"And you don't think that people from Diana's pack coming to kidnap her is a bad thing?" Edward asked. "Come on, Jake! If she'd _wanted_ to be with her pack, she wouldn't have left them in the first place!"

"Well, I wouldn't worry about them," Jake replied. "You'll just make yourself sick when there's nothing you can do." And not to sound like a chauvinistic male," he continued, looking at Laura. "But in your condition, you probably shouldn't be going after people who will probably kill you for interfering anyway."

"Good point," Edward said. "Laura, why don't we go see your parents? That's always fun."

"Yeah, all right," Laura replied. "See you later, Uncle Jake."

Jake nodded. "Don't forget to tell your mother 'Hello' from me, and Edward, don't forget to come back here every day so we can get your workouts done."

"All right," Edward replied as he and Laura headed to his car. They then headed to Elijah and Selina's where they found Elijah sitting in the living room with Annaliese, trying to pick a show that they both could agree on. As Annaliese was more like Selina than him, it was a very difficult thing to do.

"Where's Mom?" Laura asked as Annaliese came to hug her.

"She's not here," Elijah replied. "And you wouldn't believe me about where she _was _if I told you."

"Tell me anyway," Laura requested. "From the exasperated tone of your voice, it's probably something very interesting."

Elijah sighed. "Your mother heard that Alistair is dating someone. She told Astrid and now the two of them feel the need to go and try to see who the other woman is! I _told_ her just to leave it alone, but as usual, she never listens."

"Astrid asked for her help, Daddy," Annaliese said. "It's not like she just decided to go by herself."

"Well, I still think of it as unnecessary interference in something that isn't her business," Elijah replied.

"You mean like when you and Alistair went to the strip club?" Annaliese asked.

"Who told you that?" Elijah blustered. "Annaliese, that's not something you should be repeating!"

"You went to a strip club?" Edward asked, looking shocked. "Why?"

"Alistair asked me to," Elijah replied. "Now can we please move on?"

"I wish you would've let me go with Mommy," Annaliese told Elijah. "I bet she and Astrid are having fun."

"I don't know if 'fun' is the word for it," Elijah replied dryly. "I bet they're just getting into trouble."

* * *

><p>"Why did you pick this place?" Selina asked as Astrid got out the binoculars to stair at everyone at the restaurant from behind a row of potted plants. "You don't even know Alistair is gonna be here!"<p>

"I do too!" Astrid said, trying to keep her balance. "This is where Alistair and I always go and when I heard from that stupid phone call that Alistair was cheating on me, this is where I figured he would take her. You know, do everything he possibly could to hurt me."

"Yeah, I mean, you would think after the strip club, he would have had his fill, but apparently not."

Astrid dropped her binoculars and turned to face Selina. "He went to a strip club?"

"Apparently," Selina nodded. "And he made Elijah go with him. Can you just imagine those guys at a strip club?"

"No," Astrid shook her head. "He would have _never_ done anything like this before now. I had no idea that he had so many wild oats to sow, and that being married to me was such an inconvenience."

"I'm sure that's not the case," Selina said. "I mean, sure he feels betrayed and hurt and stuff, but I bet he won't do anything so bad that it will ruin your relationship entirely."

"Who knows?" Astrid replied. "It might."

Just then, they heard the clearing of a throat behind them and turned to see a server in a crisp uniform staring back at them. "Will I have to escort you ladies out, or will you go quietly?" He asked.

"Sorry," Astrid said quickly. "We-we were just looking for someone. We don't think they're here yet. Can we have a table?"

The server eyed them skeptically, but led them to a table anyway, and handed them menus. While Selina looked the menu over, Astrid searched for Alistair. Eventually, she made a sound like she'd been punched in the gut.

"What?" Selina asked.

"He's here!" Astrid pointed. "And look who he brought with him. It's Hazel!"


	27. Acts Of Defiance

"So..." Elijah said as Selina came to bed. "How much trouble did you and Astrid cause?"

"We're not causing trouble," Selina replied. "We're surveying the enemy. It's a good battle tactic!"

"I still say you should leave things alone," Elijah replied. "Find something else to occupy your time. When it's at a point where Alistair and Astrid feel they can get back together, they will!"

Selina grinned and came to kiss him. "All right," she said. "But only if _you _are my distraction. Can you do that? Can you distract me?"

"I suppose I could," Elijah replied, laying her down on the bed. "If that's the only thing that will work."

"Oh, don't make it sound like such a chore!" Selina replied.

"Oh, but it_ is _a chore!" Elijah replied. "Not the sex, of course, but distracting you when you have your mind stuck on ridiculous things. You're very stubborn that way."

"I could say the same about you," Selina replied.

"Well, then," Elijah replied, sliding his hand into her pajama bottoms, "maybe we shouldn't say anything at all."

Selina giggled and kissed him as he eased her out of her pajama pants and panties. They kissed for a bit, but foreplay was short before he pushed into her, made her shriek, and then cut off her cries by kissing her deeply.

"What have I told you about shouting?" Elijah asked. "Especially at night?"

"I'm sorry," Selina replied. "But sometimes, containing my enthusiasm is very difficult! In fact, it sort of hurts me that you're never as enthusiastic as I am. Am I not good enough for you?"

"Oh, you are," Elijah told her. "But I just don't feel comfortable shouting at the top of my lungs."

"Well, have you ever tried?" Selina asked. "Maybe we can have a night where we send the kids out so you can shout all you want during sex and not disturb a single person."

"All right," Elijah promised. "Sometime, we'll do that, okay?"

"Are you sure?" Selina asked.

"Yes," Elijah nodded and took her in his arms. "I'm sure. Now please, tell me that you're finished with whatever is going on with you and Astrid."

"I don't know," Selina shrugged. "That's up to her, but personally, I _hope_ we're not done. I kind of like spying."

"Why am I not surprised?" Elijah sighed.

"Cause you know me well enough that you shouldn't be," Selina replied. "And don't worry; despite my intense love of spying, I hope Alistair and Astrid patch things up soon, or at the very least, in time for Helene to have her baby. I think that would just be easier on everyone."

Elijah sighed and decided to change the subject. "Savannah's birthday party was...interesting."

"Yeah, it was so cute when she kept stuffing your face with cake!" Selina smiled. "I wish I would have gotten a picture, because that's totally something I would have done."

"And we could say the same thing about how I found Kol and Amy's sister in the closet," Elijah replied dryly. "If I'd have let you, you would have done _that_ too. Probably with me."

"Why did you have to interrupt them?" Selina asked. "Would it have killed you to leave them alone?"

"Well, it's not exactly pleasant to open a closet door to put my coat away, only to find my brother engaging in activities that are better suited to a bedroom," Elijah replied.

"That's when you quietly hang your coat up, close the door, and act as if you didn't see anything," Selina replied. "Any other action is interfering in business that isn't yours."

Elijah's eyes widened. "Are you seriously sitting there and telling me that you think it's acceptable for two people to have sex in a closet during a one-year-old's birthday party?" He asked. "I'm absolutely disgusted!"

"Why?" Selina asked. "It's not as if Kol and Margot's dalliance ruined Savannah's good time. I mean, if it had, that would be one thing. But it didn't, so I don't see what you're fussing about."

Elijah scoffed. "Spoken by someone who has _no_ trouble letting her libido ruin _any_ event, no matter how special it might be."

Selina rolled her eyes. "Seriously," she said. "How many times have I apologized to you for having a particularly loud orgasm during your and Susan's wedding vows?"

"Not enough times," Elijah replied.

"Well, I'm not gonna apologize anymore," Selina replied. "And if you want to blame someone for your anger at Kol and Margot, blame yourself. Because it was you wearing your stupid coat that made you need to go to the closet in the first place. And who in the hell wears a jacket in the middle of summer anyway?"

And with that, she turned away from him, turned off the light, and went to sleep.

* * *

><p>"Did you like having your dad at the show?" Addie asked Sam.<p>

"Yeah," Sam nodded. "I-I like when Dad comes to support me for things. That hasn't happened a lot."

"Really?" Addie asked. "Cause it seems like you have a good relationship."

"I told you he's dating my twin sister, didn't I?" Sam asked.

"You might have," Addie replied. "It's not something I would have forgotten if you did."

"Yeah, it kind of started a rift between us that is just starting to heal." He shrugged. "My brother was there too."

"I didn't know you had a brother!" Addie replied. "I didn't see anyone other than your dad who looked like you."

"Well, you wouldn't have," Sam replied. "My brother's dead."

"I'm sorry!" Addie replied. "Was it really painful for you when he died?"

"No," Sam shook his head. "He was born when my mom was human and lived about seventy five years, so it's safe to say that he'd been dead a LONG time when I was born, so I've only known him as a ghost. He comes to check up on me when important stuff happens, or he thinks Mom and Dad are slacking off. I should have you meet him some time. Just to warn you, though; he's a tad stuffy."

"Really?" Addie asked. "Well, tell me when I'm gonna meet him and I'll wear my nicest outfit that day."

"Don't push yourself too hard," Sam told her. "I wouldn't want you to change just for me." He paused. "Or my brother."

"All right," Addie nodded. But she still thought to herself that she at least better look_ neat _anyway.

* * *

><p>"So," Joshua said to Sam as he watched his little brother actually <em>cook<em> something, even if it was as basic as spaghetti and sauce along with garlic bread. "What is the purpose of this? You have yet to tell me why I'm here. How much trouble are you in?"

"I'm not in _any_ trouble!" Sam replied. "As to why you're here, it's cause of something that could send you back into the arms of Emma and the kids for good."

Joshua raised an eyebrow. "Did you meet a woman? Hopefully not someone you picked up at a bar. Because a relationship like _that_ will _not_ send me back to my wife and children for good."

"All right, you got me," Sam admitted as he tasted the sauce. "I _did_ meet her at a bar. But she's _different_ than the others!"

Joshua scoffed. "And how many times have I heard this song and dance, brother?"

"I _mean _it this time," Sam insisted. "She's not even a human. She's a witch. Well, first I thought she was a vampire who was related to me, but luckily, circumstances miraculously changed."

"When you first met her, you thought she was related to you?" Joshua asked. "How?"

Sam shrugged. "She seemed to be the daughter of one of our half-sisters, but apparently, she's not. You'll like her, I promise."

"What's her name?" Joshua asked. "And is she aware of...what I am?"

"Yes, I told her," Sam nodded. "And it didn't seem to faze her, lucky for you."

The doorbell rang and Joshua asked Sam, "Is that her?"

"It shouldn't be," Sam replied, drying off his hands and going to answer the door. "There's still some time before I told her to come." Curiously, he opened the door, and was surprised to see his father, once again sans Lucy, standing on the other side of the door, holding a bottle of wine. "I know this was just supposed to be a meet and greet between you, Addie, and your brother, but...do you mind if I join you?"

"Sure," Sam replied, still a little surprised. "Come in."

Damon nodded and came in, looking for ice to stick the wine in, and then inhaled the air. "Spaghetti," he said with a smile. "Nice."

"Well, I wanted to make something myself," Sam replied. "I thought it would be impressive."

"Wait," Joshua replied. "If you're actually working to impress this woman instead of just merely relying on your charm to get you through this relationship, then maybe I _don't_ have as much reason to worry."

"You hear that?" Sam told his father. "He has no faith in me at all." Then Sam looked at his brother. "Are you telling me that you were never once nagged at about who you dated?"

"No, he wasn't," Damon replied. "He'll never know our pain. My father was kind enough to lay down and die just as Joshua got to dating age, so he got through it without the travail that I went through."

"I thought Grandfather liked Mother," Joshua replied.

"He...liked her as a person, of course," Damon clarified. "But when it came to seeing her as a romantic prospect for me, he was less than enthusiastic. He apparently didn't think she was responsible enough to mold me into an upstanding human being." He chuckled. "If going to war didn't do that for me, I don't see how a woman would have." He watched Sam. "You need any help with that?" He asked.

"No, thanks," Sam replied. "Just take a seat."

Instead of taking a seat, Damon set the table and _then_ sat down at the table just in time for the doorbell to ring.

"I'll get it," Sam replied. "No one else has to move." He went and opened the door, surprised to see Addie with her dark hair up and wearing a nice but comfortable dress. She was also holding a box from Selina's bakery.

"You look nice," Sam told her. "And is that a cake you're holding?"

"Yeah," Addie nodded, handing Sam the box and twirling around in her blue dress. "I stopped off at the bakery cause I didn't want to show up empty-handed."

"Well, thanks," Sam replied.

"You're welcome," Addie answered. She then sat down and smiled at Damon. "Sam didn't tell me you were gonna be here!" She said.

"Well, that's cause he didn't know," Damon replied easily. "I kind of just invited myself."

"Ah," Addie nodded. "Okay." Her eyes then drifted into the corner of the kitchen where Joshua was standing and she jumped. "My god!" She cried.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you," Joshua told her as he approached the table. "My brother assured me you already knew about my being a ghost, and that you were all right with it. Is that not true?"

"No, he told me," Addie replied, swallowing nervously. "I just...I forgot."

"All right," Joshua replied, but gave Sam a look anyway.

"I know you can't eat," Addie managed to address Joshua. "So are you just gonna sit here while we do?"

"I have things I can do until you finish eating and then I'll come back," Joshua replied, pushing his dark hair out of his eyes. "If that will make you more comfortable."

"What else could you possibly have to do?" Sam asked his brother. "I thought your main purpose for hanging around was to look after me."

"It is," Joshua replied. "But that doesn't mean I can't occasionally have a few hours off, does it?"

"I don't know," Sam replied. "No one told me the rules of haunting."

Just then, the doorbell rang yet again. "My goodness," Joshua said to his brother. "Just how many people _did_ you invite to this little gathering?"

"It was only supposed to be you, me, and Addie," Sam replied. He went to open the door again and nearly passed out when he saw his mother. "Hi," Selina said, a little flustered. "I know you weren't expecting me, but Addie told me what was going on here tonight when she came to get the cake, and I just...I know I wasn't invited, and I know I hardly ever do stuff with you anymore, but...can I join you?"

"O-okay," Sam replied. "Come in!"

When Selina came in, Damon chuckled at the sight of her. "What, no Elijah chained to your ankle? How did you manage that?"

"Simple," Selina replied. "I came from the bakery and didn't say a word about this to him. He'll find out eventually, and I know I'm gonna pay for it, but I don't want to think about this now." She looked back and forth between Sam, Joshua and Damon. "I just want to spend some time with my first boys, is all." She smiled at Addie. "Sam's bringing you into a good set of men, in case you needed me to tell you that."

Just then Joshua cleared his throat and Selina noticed him. "Hello, Mother," he said.

Selina felt a catch in her throat and tears falling from her eyes as she came toward him. "Hello, Joshua," she replied, wiping them away. She wanted so badly to hug him, but she wasn't sure if she could. Finally, he hugged her, and though it felt strange, like cold tingles all over her body, she gave into it. When he let her go, she was able to sit down at the kitchen table and watch as he slowly faded away.

"Are you gonna be all right?" Damon asked. "Tell me, honestly.

"Yeah," Selina sniffled. "I'll be fine."

"I don't think I've ever seen you cry before," Addie commented.

"Well, he was my first baby and I didn't get to raise him," Selina said. "How could I _not_ cry? Fortunately, he grew up well, despite our not being there. Right?" She said to Damon.

"Well, of course," Damon replied. "But I think growing up with my father made him much too tightly wound. He seems more like human Stefan than me."

"Well, not everyone can be like you," Selina replied.

"True, true," Damon nodded. "You make a good point."

Then, Sam got out the spaghetti and the garlic bread, and Selina helped Damon with the wine. "I hope there's gonna be enough," Selina commented as the spaghetti was ladled onto plates.

"I don't think that'll be a problem," Sam replied. "I'm pretty sure I made a ton more than I was supposed to, so I don't think we'll run out."

"_You_ cooked this?" Addie asked him.

"Yes," Sam replied with a smile. "Are you impressed?"

"Yeah," Addie nodded. "I am."

"Me too," Selina replied. She ate some and swallowed, following it with garlic bread. "Terrible?" Sam asked.

"No!" Selina shook her head. "It's perfect!"

Sam let out a breath. "Oh, good. I was worried."

The atmosphere became easy as they ate and chatted. Around the time Selina was helping Sam clean up the dishes, her phone rang. She saw it was Elijah and, taking a resolute breath, she didn't answer it. It wouldn't kill him to wait until she got home. After the dishes were washed, Joshua returned, and despite an awkward start, Addie managed to endear herself to him, something that she wasn't sure would happen, since she'd always thought of ghosts as not being particularly friendly beings. Just her luck that Sam's brother was Casper the friendly ghost.

"Would you like me to drive you home?" Damon asked when Selina grabbed her coat to leave. He had a twinkle in his eye.

"No, thanks," Selina replied. "I'll be fine. Goodbye, everyone. And Sam, I promise I'll try to visit more often."

"Addie and I are actually going house hunting," Sam told her. "So I won't be here at the boardinghouse for much longer."

"All right," Selina replied. "When you get your new address, just let me know what it is, and I'll come. And before I go," she told Damon, "What can I say to Elijah about where Lucy was tonight? Cause I know he'll ask."

"She's in the middle of some big art project," Damon replied. "a big 'do not disturb' sign on the door' sort of project."

"All right," Selina replied. "Good."

When she was gone, Damon chuckled. "Elijah is _so_ gonna kill her," he said.

"Why?" Sam asked. "It's not like you guys kissed or anything."

"Well, yeah, but Elijah's the jealous type," Damon grinned. "Not enough to hurt her or anything, but he's never shy about keeping his opinions about your mother spending time with her other family to himself. He prefers to chaperon her."

"Wow," Sam said. "He doesn't seem like Mom's type at all."

"Well, apparently he is," Damon replied.

"Do you have to go too?" Sam asked. "Is Lucy worrying?"

"No," Damon shook her head. "And even if she was, all she'd do is draw another picture of you being murdered in a million ways. Nothing to worry about."

"Oh," Sam replied. "All right." He looked at Addie. "What about you?"

Suddenly, there was a clash of thunder and rain began pouring thickly from the sky. "I don't know if I should drive in weather like this," Addie replied, staring out the window. "Can I stay here tonight?"

"Sure," Sam replied. "That'll work out just fine."

* * *

><p>"Do you think they're really gonna have us killed?" Joey asked Diana.<p>

"I would think so," Diana nodded. "My father doesn't lie about stuff like that."

Joey scoffed. "Well, that just can't happen. Do you know how pissed off Aunt Enid will be if she shows up and finds out that you and I have been killed?"

"That's true," Diana replied. "But what good is a threat like that if Enid is gone and we have no idea where she is?"

"I don't know," Joey replied. "I was only speaking in hypotheticals!"

"Well, lovely," Diana replied. "But now is not the time for that. Now is the time to come up with real answers to our problem!" She then watched in amazement as Joey magicked himself out of his restraints. "Want me to do you too?" He asked.

"Sure," Diana replied. "It'll be easier to fight back if I'm untied." He let her out and then they heard a small gasp. Hayley had just come in to the room where they were confined.

"How did you get out?" She whispered.

"Joey is a warlock," Diana whispered back. "A child of Enid's, so he can do magic. Please don't tell Father about this until we've had time to come up with a battle plan."

"All right," Hayley nodded. "I won't. I promise." She laid down some food for them and started to leave the room. But Diana stopped her. "Wait," she said. "Do you really have to go?"

"I think I should," Hayley replied. "Your father wanted me to come back as soon as I got your food to you."

Diana sighed. "You should get away from him. He's no good for you."

"And how do you expect me to do that?" Hayley asked. "I try and I'll be in the same position you are right now! Nope, better to stay obedient to your father and live then defy him and die."

"Well, all right," Diana replied. "But if you ever-if you ever decide you wanna leave, we'll help you."

"Thanks," Hayley nodded with a small smile. But that was quickly erased once Diana's father came into the room. "How long does it take to deliver food?" He snapped at Hayley. "I told you not to dawdle!"

Diana saw him raise his hand to strike Hayley and threw herself in front of the young woman, taking the impact of the hit before falling onto the floor.

"Are you stupid?" Her father yelled. "What were you thinking?"

Diana struggled to sit up and Hayley helped her. "I was thinking that if I'm just gonna die, I might as well do it helping someone," she spat. "Mom was killed because she was kind to people you didn't want her to be kind to, and if I have to go out the same way, then I will."

"Your mother died because she helped a Talbot," her father replied. "And indeed, you're turning out just like her. How disappointing."

"How is that disappointing?" Joey asked.

"Because I don't like to be disobeyed!" Diana's father replied. "You keep out of this, Talbot!"

Narrowing his eyes, Joey focused on Diana's father and made him disappear.

"That wasn't permanent," he said as Hayley and Diana looked at him in amazement. "I don't know how to do that yet, but at least it's a bit of a respite from him anyway."

"You really _can_ do magic," Hayley replied, her hand on Diana's shoulder.

"Yeah," Joey replied. "I can. Now let's focus on what's important: how will we handle the next full moon?"

"It might be a risk," Diana said. "But I think it might be best to humor Father in the beginning, let the boys chase after us and then, just in the nick of time, do something to make them disappear."

"That seems a little risky, don't you think?" Joey asked.

"Well, yeah," Diana nodded. "But if we completely try and defy Daddy, we might not be able to get away with anything at all."

"You know what?" Joey replied. "Let's keep on thinking. We've got time."

"I'm gonna go now," Hayley replied. "You two keep thinking and don't forget to eat your food before it gets cold."

"All right," Diana told her. "And thank you."

Hayley gave a brief nod and then disappeared, presumably to go back to Diana's father.


	28. Reelin' In The Years

"Why didn't you call and say you'd be working late?" Elijah asked. "I was worried sick about you. I called and everything, but there was no answer!"

"That's because I wasn't at the bakery," Selina replied. "I was at dinner with some people."

"Oh?" Elijah's eyebrow went up. "Do you mind telling me what people?"

"Sam," Selina replied easily. "And Addie. Joshua materialized, and Damon was there too."

"Wait..." Elijah said. "You were at a dinner with Damon? Was Lucy there too?"

"No," Selina shook her head. "She had a big art project to do, apparently, and stayed home."

"You should have told me about this," Elijah said. "Instead of just sneaking off without a word!"

"Well, you can't accuse me of lying, can you?" Selina asked. "I told you the truth! I deserve the occasional opportunity to visit the son I hardly see without you making a fuss about it! If I _had _told you about it and you'd come, you'd have probably been bored and I would have had to hear about it the whole time. So I just saved myself the pain and went alone. I don't see why this is a problem."

"Of _course_ you don't," Elijah replied. "Which is why you have no room to complain if I have lunch with Gregory and Katerina."

"Oh, did they invite you?" Selina asked.

"Well, no," Elijah replied. "But I'm sure it wouldn't be any trouble to set something up. And since you'll be working, it's a shame I'll have to go by myself."

Selina chuckled. "You're so transparent it's funny," she replied. "Have fun visiting Gregory. Tell him that I say 'Hi'."

* * *

><p>"Okay," Gregory told Katherine after hanging up the phone. "Apparently my father wants to come to lunch with us."<p>

"He does?" Katherine asked. "Is it because we're just generally delightful people, or is there some other reason?"

"I'd like to think it was because we're delightful, and also because he hasn't seen Elizabeth in awhile, but something in my gut tells me it's more than that."

His suspicions were confirmed the next day when Elijah came through the door. "Nice to see you, son," he said, putting an arm briefly around Gregory. He smiled at Katherine. "You're looking as beautiful as ever, Katrina." He picked up Elizabeth. "And you always are adorable, dear, sweet Elizabeth!" He gave her a kiss and held on to her. The little girl giggled and hugged him back.

"Are you all right?" Gregory asked his father. "Is there any particular reason why you wanted to see us today?"

Elijah gave him a wounded look. "Can't a man just visit his son, daughter in law, and grandchild?" He asked. "Why would you suspect me of having ulterior motives?"

"I don't know," Gregory replied. "If there are none, I apologize, Father."

"Thank you," Elijah replied. "Your mother says 'Hello'."

"How nice," Gregory replied. "How is Mother?"

"Oh, she's just dandy, what with having lunch with one of her other kids and their father yesterday."

"There it is!" Gregory cried. "You're upset that Mom saw her ex, so you're doing the same thing with Katherine."

"No, I came to see you!" Elijah replied. "The fact that Katerina and I were once involved, and that it will fill your mother with jealousy, is just an added bonus!" He chuckled and Gregory rolled his eyes.

"At least you're being honest, Father," he said.

"So let me get this straight," Katherine told Elijah. "The only reason you came here was to get Selina back for being with Damon?"

"I told you," Elijah replied. "I came here to see you all too!"

"All right," Gregory replied with a shrug. "Whatever you say, Father. Let's not linger on the subject."

"Fine," Elijah agreed. "So, what's going on with the two of you?"

"Nothing much," Gregory replied. "Things at the shelter are going well. A few of the girls actually managed to get good jobs."

"And one of them had a boyfriend that Gregory didn't have to kill!" Katherine blurted out. Then, she flushed a little as Gregory's eyebrow rose and he breathed in quickly.

"Heh, heh," Katherine said nervously. "I don't know what I was saying. I didn't mean that."

"Yes, you did," Elijah replied. "Gregory, you're _killing_ people?"

"Not _people_, Father," Gregory corrected. "Scumbags who abuse their wives, girlfriends, any women in their lives who then feel the need to come to my shelter. It makes them feel safer and I never overdo it. At least not by Grandfather's standards, anyway."

"Well, make sure you keep it that way," Elijah replied. "Cause if your grandfather ever came after you, I'm not sure I'd be able to stop him."

"Oh, come on!" Katherine replied. "Yes, you could! You saved Selina. Why not him?"

"It's probably because it'll be a situation where I have to learn from my mistakes, just like when he kicked me out after I became a werewolf," Gregory said dryly.

Katherine looked back and forth between the father and son who were glaring at each other and then gently removed Elizabeth from Elijah's grip. "All right," she said, taking her into the kitchen. "I think Daddy and Grandpa need to be left alone for a little bit."

Gregory heard that and chuckled. "Speaking of 'Grandpa'," he said, "how long until Laura has her baby again?"

Hearing that, Elijah's expression relaxed. "Not too long," he said. "Probably in the next week or two. Alistair and Astrid are having difficulties, and I just hope that at least Astrid can work through things beforehand. She's one of the few people I would trust to deliver Laura's baby."

"Have you ever thought of having her deliver at a hospital?" Gregory asked. "It's really not that bad."

"I don't think so," Elijah replied. "You know, cause of the whole vampirism thing. We don't want to have people find out things they shouldn't."

"Good point," Gregory nodded.

Then Elijah sighed. "I have to admit that I'm nervous about Laura having her baby. I didn't handle her getting married so well, and I think her having a baby might lead to me having the same reaction I had after she got married, which wasn't a good one. I completely lost my mind."

"Well, if you do," Gregory replied, "I'm sure Mother will help you get through it."

"Oh, well, I don't know," Elijah replied. "You don't know how I act when I'm feeling old. It's a way that's very attractive to your mother, which means she'll have no desire to get me out of it."

"Things better in here?" Katherine asked.

"Yeah," Gregory nodded as she set Elizabeth down on the floor and the little girl walked back to Elijah. Just then, he felt a catch in his throat as he took the little girl in his lap, and a tear, which he tried to stop the others from seeing, fell down his face.

"What did you do to him?" Katherine asked, hitting Gregory on the shoulder. "You made him cry!"

"No," Elijah sniffed and sobered up. "I'm fine."

But Elizabeth didn't believe him. She gave him a kiss and then urged him to put her on her feet. She then sauntered away from the group with Gregory following her to make sure she didn't hurt herself. They came back a few minutes later with Elizabeth clutching the teddy bear she'd gotten from Susanna. She toddled over to Elijah and handed it to him.

"Is this for me?" Elijah asked as he took her in his lap. She nodded, her tiny face lighting up. "Yes," she replied. "You happy!"

Gregory smiled. "She sees you're upset, Father, and she thinks her bear will make you happy."

"Well, how sweet!" Elijah replied and hugged the little girl. "This might be just what I need."

"Now that we have all that straightened out," Katherine said, standing up. "Who wants lunch?"

* * *

><p>While Elijah was with Katherine and Gregory, Selina occupied herself by spending time with Astrid. She tried to distract the other woman, but Astrid wouldn't have any of it. "Can you believe the nerve of Hazel?" She grumbled. "Walking around town with my face! I thought she didn't have magic anymore!"<p>

"Well, obviously that was a lie, wasn't it?" Selina asked.

"Duh," Astrid nodded. She paused. "What do you say you and I go back to his house and confront them?"

"Is there any way we could avoid that?" Selina asked. "You try and confront Hazel, you could get hurt, and not to sound selfish here, but if you get hurt, you won't be able to deliver Laura's baby, and that'll put Elijah on edge cause he doesn't have a delivery plan 'B'."

"Well, how would _you_ feel if someone stole _your_ husband, and walked around with _your_ face?" Astrid replied. "Don't act as if I'm being unreasonable, Selina."

"All right," Selina sighed. "We'll go confront Alistair and Hazel. Or at least have a chat with them. As long as you _promise_ not to do anything to get yourself hurt."

"Fine," Astrid replied. "I'll be a lady and do nothing that will get me hurt."

With that promise made, Astrid grabbed Selina's hand and popped them both over to Alistair's, where, surprise, surprise, Hazel and Alistair were having tea.

"Well, well, well!" Astrid exclaimed. "Look who's here? The tramp!"

"No need to announce yourself," Hazel replied. "We would have figured it out."

"What makes you think that you can not only steal my husband, but also my face?" Astrid asked her?"

Hazel smirked. "I never took anything that didn't want to be taken," she replied. "And after what you did with my father, I wouldn't blame poor, dear Alistair for wanting to kick you to the curb."

"And what do _you_ have to say for yourself?" Astrid asked her husband. "Clearly, you miss me, or you wouldn't be having sex with this hussy when she's wearing my face!"

Alistair gave her a look. "If this is an attempt to win me back," he said, "you're doing a terrible job."

"Well, what the hell do I have to do?" Astrid asked. "You're not giving me many hints. Do you even _want_ us to get back together?"

"Yes, I do," Alistair replied firmly. "Just not yet. I'm not ready."

"When will you _be_ ready?" Astrid pressed. "Before our grandchild is born, I hope? Cause this attitude of yours is putting a lot of undue stress on our daughter."

"I'll give you that," Alistair agreed. "I'll reconcile with you once our grandchild is born, but until then, don't press me."

Astrid's jaw dropped and she turned to Selina. "Did you hear that?" She asked. "Do you believe him?!"

"Yes," Selina replied, trying to pull her friend away. "Now's not the time to fuss at him. If you do that, he'll just make things more difficult for you. I know this from first hand experience. Now, you should just thank him for his honesty, give him his space, and think about other things."

"Goodbye!" Hazel called. "And if you ever come here again, we'll sic dogs on you!"

But as the door to the house closed, Alistair eyed Hazel. "Turn back," he said. "Astrid may be wrong about a lot of things, but I agree that you looking like her to be with me while I refuse to be with her is salt in a wound that doesn't need to be there."

"All right," Hazel replied with a pout. "What a waste."

"And how did you do that, anyway?" He asked her. "You told me that your father took your powers!"

"Well, I lied," Hazel replied. "I thought you'd be more likely to help me that way, and I was right."

Alistair sighed and rubbed his temples, thinking it would be almost easier to go back to Astrid now._ Almost_.

* * *

><p>"Okay," Edward told Laura a week later. "I'm just going to the store. Are you gonna be okay here by yourself?"<p>

"Yeah," Laura nodded, shifting in an attempt to ease the pain in her back which had lingered all day, regardless of what she did to soothe it. She had thought at one point that it was the beginning of her labor, but she wasn't sure, and didn't want to worry Edward. "I'll be fine. Why?"

"Cause you know that you're awfully close to your due date," Edward reminded her. "Maybe I shouldn't leave."

"Don't worry," Laura said, trying to control her face so he wouldn't see her wince in pain. "Just go. I'll be fine."

Still looking doubtful, Edward left the house and headed to the store, leaving Laura behind. Not feeling the motivation to move, she stayed in her chair watching TV until she finally had to get up to pee. That's when she felt her water break, and the pain begin. "Oh, fuck!" she whispered, clenching her teeth. "Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, and fuck!" She managed to grab a phone, but just as she was about to dial, Astrid appeared. "Well, that's handy," she said.

"It's a witch thing," Astrid replied. "We get sort of vibrations or something when someone needs us. It's really convenient, actually. Now, since you're most likely in labor, we need to get you down somewhere. And where's Edward?"

"He's gone to the store!" Laura said. Then, she saw that his phone was being charged "It's no good to call him. He doesn't have his phone."

"Well, if he just went to the store, hopefully the child can hang on until he gets back," Astrid replied.

"I hope so!" Laura agreed, and let out a yell of pain. "I really hope so!"

Astrid helped her to bed and then called Selina and Elijah to come be with Laura while they waited for Edward to return. They arrived quickly and both stood on either side of the bed, with Laura clutching Elijah's hand and sobbing. "It _hurts, _Daddy!" She cried. "Make it stop hurting!"

Elijah tried his best to stay strong for his daughter. "I'm sorry, darling. I can't," he said, trying to keep the catch from his voice. "But it'll all be over soon. I promise."

Laura shut her eyes and tried to breath. Edward returned several minutes later, walking in the door just as Laura let out a yell. It took him awhile, but he eventually realized what was going on and ran in the direction of the noise.

"There you are!" Laura yelled. "What the _fuck_ took you so long?"

"I'm sorry!" Edward replied. At that point, Selina gave him her spot next to Laura and moved by Astrid at the foot of the bed.

Edward felt helpless as he watched his usually very tough wife just sit there and whimper about how much she hurt, until finally, she took a deep breath. "All right," she said. "Is it time to push yet?"

"You'll feel it when it is," Astrid replied, checking under the blanket. "But from the look of things, it shouldn't be too much longer."

"Yep," Laura nodded after a bit, gritting her teeth."It's coming out. I feel it." After the baby's head emerged, things were much easier, and when it was completely out, Laura lay back against the pillows and took a deep breath. "What is it?" She asked.

"A little boy," Edward grinned. "Laura, we have a little boy! Charlie Oliver!"

"Great," Laura replied, shutting her eyes. "Just wonderful."

"I'm proud of you," Elijah told her and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "We'll let you rest now."

"All right," Laura replied. "Goodbye, Daddy."

* * *

><p>They headed home and Selina thought that everything was gonna be all right. Elijah seemed normal. When they got to the house, he told her that he needed to be alone in his office for awhile.<p>

"What's wrong with Daddy?" Margaret asked her mother.

"Your sister had her baby," Selina replied. "And although your daddy put on a happy face for her, I don't know how well he's really taking it."

"Oh," Margaret nodded. "Okay." She then went to her room to set up for the tea party she and Elijah would have the next day.

However, the next day, as Margaret sat waiting for her father to join her, it was her mother who arrived first. "Honey," she said. "I have to prepare you for something. When your daddy comes for the tea party, he's gonna be different than usual. Try not to let it worry you."

"What do you mean?" Margaret asked.

"It's hard to explain," Selina replied. "I mean, what's going on with him now doesn't necessarily bother _me_, but I have a feeling it might distress you. Laura having her baby is making your father act a little...different."

"What do you mean?" Margaret replied, feeling panic rise up in her. Just then, the door opened, and to her shock, her father strode in, barefooted, in dirty, torn jeans, a t-shirt, and messy hair. "Am I late for the tea party?" he asked.

Margaret's lip quivered. "Who _are_ you?" She asked. "And what have you done with my daddy?"

"Nothing!" Elijah replied. "I've decided that I need to be more hip, so this is my new look."

"I hate it!" Margaret yelled, trying to shove him out her bedroom door. "Get out! Go away and don't come back!"

The door slammed shut behind both Elijah and Selina, and Selina said, "I told you this would upset her. But don't worry. You still have me."

"Yes," Elijah gave her a kiss. "I do. Lucky me."


	29. Getting Through The Night

"Am I a bad person?" Elijah asked Selina. "I mean, Margaret ran off to Henry's just to get away from me!"

"Don't blame yourself," Selina advised. "She's just not used to seeing you dressed more casually." She chuckled. "Just so you know, the reaction she had to your jeans was the same one you had when I brought my chair (or any of my other stuff) into this house."

"No!" Elijah replied. "I think I behaved better than that!"

"No," Selina shook her head. "Where do you think Margaret got that from?"

Elijah chose to ignore this. "Do you think we're ever gonna see her again?"

"Of course we will!" Selina replied, giving him a kiss. "But I told Lenora that if it was possible, it might be best for Margaret to stay with them until you and I work through what you're going through."

Elijah scoffed. "I feel like a fool," he said. "You know, it's the first time in so long that I'm feeling my age." He looked at her. "I'm dressing different, I have a much younger wife. All that's missing is the inappropriately fast car."

"You didn't marry me cause you were feeling old!" Selina replied. "You married me cause I'm awesome and delightful! That, and my shenanigans keep you young."

"Oh, yes," Elijah sighed. "Where would I be without your shenanigans?"

"You'd be alone, old, bored, and miserable," Selina replied. "Obviously."

"So what will we do now?" Elijah asked.

"Well, as you may or may not know," Selina replied, "I've sent all the kids away for the time being so that you and I can deal with what you're going through."

"Oh?" Elijah asked, eyebrow raised. "And how do you suggest we do that?"

"Simple!" Selina replied. "With lots and lots of sex!"

Elijah scoffed. "I should have known," he said. "That's your answer to everything."

"Well, in this case, it might just work," Selina replied. "You're questioning your virility, so how could lots and lots of sex _not_ help?"

"Now wait just a minute!" Elijah cried. "I never said I was questioning my virility. I said I was feeling old. There's a difference, you know."

"Not much of one," Selina replied. "Now, are you gonna remove your pants, or do you want me to do it for you?"

"Yes," Elijah grinned. "Please do it for me."

Grinning back, Selina quickly got him out of his pants and in bed, then got on her knees and leaned forward, sucking on him. She kept her eyes on his face and saw that despite how pleased he seemed, he was really holding back. Slowly, she backed off him.

"Hey," he said, looking down. "Why did you stop?"

"Because you're repressing!" Selina replied. "You can yell at the top of your lungs because it feels good. We're alone. No one will hear you except me."

"This again?" Elijah sighed. "You're really killing the mood."

"I don't see how telling you you're free to express your feelings is killing the mood," Selina replied. "Just do it, would you?"

Then, before Elijah could say anymore, she was sucking on him again, and finally, he let out a yell that echoed throughout the room.

"There," Selina said with a satisfied grin. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"No," Elijah replied, panting. "But I feel ridiculous. And what if the neighbors heard?"

"Oh, relax," Selina replied. "I bet they didn't hear a thing," she began unbuttoning her blouse. "Now, I think it should be _my_ turn. What do you say, sweetie?"

Elijah laughed now. "I say I agree," he replied and helped her off with her clothes, and pushing into her several times before they both were panting and exhausted.

"I wonder," Selina said as she looked up at the ceiling, "how long it will be before Laura and Edward let us see their baby again."

"Oh, they will," Elijah replied. "Who knows how long it will take though? It might be awhile before they adjust."

"I hope not," Selina replied. "I really wanna see little Charlie again."

* * *

><p>Surprisingly, it wasn't hard for Laura and Edward to adjust to their new baby. Although Laura protested vehemently, Edward insisted on letting her sleep at night, while he took care of Charlie.<p>

"I'm glad you have such an egalitarian spirit," she said as he was tucking her into bed. "But really, it wouldn't be any trouble for me to look after Charlie at least one night."

"You need your sleep," Edward told her as Charlie started crying. "It's all right, I promise."

Sighing, Laura turned away and shut her eyes. Then, Edward went to warm his son's bottle. "Sorry it took so long," Edward told Charlie as he came into his room. He put the bottle down on the changing table and then took Charlie out of his bassinet. "It took awhile for me to convince your mother to let me take care of you tonight. She's a lovely woman, but sometimes, she's so stubborn. But I bet you love her, though, don't you, Charlie? I know I do." Once the baby was calm, Edward grabbed the bottle, fed him, and even after he fell asleep, just stayed in the chair, gently rocking back and forth and reveling in the silence.

After a week, Laura felt ready to let people come visit, and meet Charlie. She thought her parents would be the first visitors, but to her surprise, her brother came before her parents did.

"Gregory?" Laura said in surprise as she opened the door. "Well, this is a surprise! Come in!"

"I don't know why it's such a surprise," Gregory replied, coming in with Elizabeth. "You're my sister and I want to meet my nephew." He paused. "And don't worry. I'll keep an eye on Elizabeth so that nothing happens to Charlie."

"I wasn't worried," Laura replied. "I knew you would."

"Who that?" Elizabeth asked, pointing at the baby.

"This is Charlie," Gregory told her. "He's your new little cousin. Now, be careful with him. You don't want him to be hurt."

"Hi, baby," Elizabeth said, gently reaching out to touch Charlie's head.

"Good girl," Gregory praised her as she then pulled her hand away. "Thank you for being gentle."

"Nice baby," Elizabeth said and then hugged her father. "So," he said to Laura. "How's the week been? You look much more rested than I expected."

"That's cause Edward won't let me do a thing at night even though I said it was okay," she replied. "Was it sort of the same thing when Elizabeth was little? Only, Katherine probably forced you to do everything by yourself, right?"

"It wasn't so bad," Gregory replied. "Granted Katherine didn't exactly take to Elizabeth right away. But they get along famously now."

"I have to ask another thing," Laura said. "Have you heard anything from Mom and Dad? I thought they'd be beating down the doors to come see Charlie, but since he was born, I haven't heard a thing from either of them."

"Well, apparently, you having a baby led Father to have a small breakdown," Gregory told her. "Mom sent all the kids away and she and he have been alone at home working through his 'issues' ever since. But I'm sure that if you told them you were ready for company, they'd come right over."

"No," Laura said dryly. "I wouldn't want to inadvertently end up hearing about Mom and Dad's sex life. They'll come when they're ready."

"You need a break?" Edward asked, coming into the room. "Hello, Gregory, Elizabeth. I thought I heard the pair of you out here."

"No, I'm fine," Laura said, going to get a bottle for Charlie from the kitchen.

"I'll warm it up for you," Edward told her.

"All right," she said. "But I'm still gonna be the one who feeds him. You're my husband, not my servant, and you're entitled to a break."

"All right," Edward replied. He warmed up the bottle, handed it to Laura, and said, "I think...I think I'm gonna go work on our taxes now."

"Is he all right?" Gregory asked Laura. "If doing your taxes is the way he chooses to occupy himself, I think you might want to work on finding more hobbies for him."

"I was thinking about that," Laura replied. "I'll make the offer, but I'm not really concerned. As long as he's doing what makes him happy, that's all that matters, isn't it?" She began feeding Charlie, and Elizabeth saw and began rooting around in Gregory's coat pockets.

"What's she doing?" Laura asked.

"Looking for snacks," Gregory said as Elizabeth pulled out some little crackers and put them in her mouth. "When I go out with her, I always try and put small amounts of cereal and things in one of my coat pockets in case she gets hungry."

"Aren't you worried about crumbs?" Laura asked.

"Nah," Gregory replied. "It's all right." He kissed Elizabeth. "Isn't it all right, sweetie?"

"Nummy," Elizabeth nodded. When the doorbell rang, and Laura went to answer it, the little girl turned her gaze toward Charlie and didn't look away, and when Laura came back with Elijah and Selina trailing behind her, Gregory said, "It's a shame Elizabeth is just nearly two. When you left, she locked eyes on Charlie and didn't look away. She'd make a good babysitter for him if she wasn't so little herself."

* * *

><p>"So, is tonight the night?" Joey asked Hayley. "The night we get killed?"<p>

"Well, that's what Diana's father thinks, anyway," she replied. "Surely you don't intend to just wait for it like sitting ducks. You're gonna fight, right?"

"Well, yeah," Joey nodded. "I just wanted to know if this was the night we should be fighting."

"Yep," Diana nodded. "It is. I think there are six boys in the pack who will be turning tonight. That means three for each of us."

Joey scoffed. "It doesn't seem like your father was concerned about giving us a fighting chance."

"No kidding," Diana nodded. "But remember, you have magic. It doesn't matter how many will be following you."

"I don't know if I should use it," Joey replied. "I have no idea what I'm doing. I could lose control and destroy much more than I mean to."

"Who cares?" Diana asked. "It's either use your magic to save yourself, or die. And surely you don't wanna die."

"Well, no," Joey replied. "Of course not."

"Good!" Diana replied. "This should be easy then."

"Not really," Joey replied. "Remember my limp. Fat lot of good my magic will do if they catch me and rip me to pieces before I can use it."

Diana shut her eyes. "Right," she said. "Well, don't worry. I'll stay with you. I'll stay with you, and between the two of us, we'll get out all right. I promise."

"All right," Joey replied. "I trust you. If we die, we die together."

* * *

><p>And they didn't break that promise, even when, his voice full of irritation, Diana's father tried to pry them apart before the hunt that evening.<p>

"No!" Diana told her father firmly. "If you're going to subject Joey and I to this, we're going to go together."

"Fine," her father said at last. "It doesn't matter to me." He then shoved them both into a cage and locked the door, leaving them alone.

"Why doesn't he understand that you're a warlock and can just magic us out?" Diana asked.

"I don't know," Joey replied, and did just that. At that point, the moon rose overhead and they heard howls that made their hair stand on end. "Oh, my god," Diana said with a shiver. "We have to go!" She took his hand and pulled him along behind her.

They struggled along for a bit until they heard the sounds of people following them. Then, Diana tried to speed things up. "I know it's hard," she told Joey, panting. "But you have to try and run faster! Can you do that?"

"No," Joey replied. "You know I can't!" It was then that three of the wolves came into sight, getting closer, and closer, their fangs bared. Diana, still holding on to Joey, shut her eyes and waited for death to come, knowing that it would be painful. But then, to her surprise, she felt nothing, except a _whoosh_ of air. She opened her eyes and gasped as she saw that she and Joey were both up in a tree and looking down on three, snarling wolves circling around the trunk.

"How did we get up here?" Diana asked. "Did you do it?"

"Yeah," Joey nodded. "I did." But then he began to sway. "I can't be in this position for very long," he said, and zapped them down to the ground.

"What the fuck are you thinking!" Diana scolded. "We want to get _away_ from the wolves, not walk directly into their trap!"

"Do you trust me?" Joey asked.

"I don't know," Diana shot back. "I think you're losing your mind! Why?"

"Cause I think," Joey said with a grin, "that you and I could have a little fun."

Diana's jaw dropped at this, but before she could even ask what he meant, he began zapping them from place to place, causing the wolves to run around and be confused.

Diana tried not to laugh, but at times, she couldn't help it. They kept up this routine until it was time for everyone to change back. Then, they went to go see Hayley.

"Oh, my god!" She said, staring at them in amazement. "You're still alive. How is that possible?"

"We had a little magic on our side," Diana replied. "We're gonna leave now, and never come back. And I was just wondering...would you like to come with us?"

"Really?" Hayley asked. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah," Diana replied. "You deserve a better life than just being my father's girlfriend (to use the term loosely), don't you?"

"Well, yes," Hayley nodded. "But I have no family or anything. If I leave here, what can I do? I don't want to inconvenience the both of you."

"You wouldn't," Diana replied. "Really."

"Okay," Hayley replied. "Where are we going?"

"To my uncle's," Joey replied. "He's a werewolf and he knows about werewolf stuff. You'll be safe there."

"All right," Hayley replied, hearing a horrendous noise rise up. "And let's go fast, before your father realizes that no kills were made tonight."

"No, kidding!" Joey agreed, and zapped the three of them back to Jake's, and hoping with all their hope that no one would find them.


	30. Reconciliation

Just for a change of scenery, Lenora brought Margaret and Henry to Adrian and Helene's while she did some errands.

"Wow!" Henry said, his eyes wide when he saw Helene. "You're really fat!"

Then Margaret elbowed him in the gut. "You're not supposed to say that!" She remonstrated. "It's not nice. Say you're sorry."

"I'm sorry," Henry told Helene.

She just smiled and ruffled his hair. "It's all right, sweetie. You're a little boy. I know you didn't mean it." Then, she went to the kitchen and Henry winced. "You hit _hard!_" He said to Margaret.

"I do?" Margaret asked, looking at her hands with pride. "Well, I'm sorry, but you shouldn't say stuff like that to people."

"I wasn't being mean," Henry shrugged. "I was just making an observation."

Adrian was in the yard working on an old car he'd bought, and and was thus not around when Henry and Margaret heard Helene cry out. They ran into the kitchen and found Helene on her back on the floor.

"What's the matter?" Henry asked, looking worried. "Are you dying?"

"No," Helene winced. "Go out and get your grandpa. Quick!"

Nodding, both Margaret and Henry ran out to Adrian and started yelling at him. He swore as his head hit the roof of the car, and then, when he'd gotten his bearings, he got up and peered at the pair of them.

"Okay," he said. "Repeat what you were trying to tell me."

"Grandma is hurting!" Henry said. "You have to come inside! She told us to get you."

Adrian's eyes widened as he followed the two kids inside. "What do you mean _she's hurting_?" He asked Henry. "What's the matter with her?" But he saw pretty quickly when he got to the kitchen, helping Helene to her feet. "Are-are you all right?" He asked.

"No," Helene winced. "Baby coming...right now!"

"All right," Adrian replied, trying to be calm. "We'll go to your mother's. No need to worry." They made their way to the door and were just about to leave when Henry said, "Wait a minute! What about us? You're supposed to be babysitting!"

"Oh, shit!" Adrian replied. There was silence for a moment, then Adrian snapped at the kids, "Well, don't you two just stand there! Get your butts to the car! You're going to have to come with us!"

"No time for the car," Helene said, and then, zapped them in the direction of Astrid's, hoping that despite her condition, her magic would still work.

* * *

><p>Luckily, it did, and her moaning in pain caused Astrid to come running. "Oh, my lord!" She replied.<p>

"I think I'm having my baby!" Helene replied, trying to keep calm and breathe.

Astrid put a hand on her daughter's stomach to feel what was going on. "It's all right, dear," she said. "You're not going into labor now. "Well, not real labor anyway. Your body is just practicing for the real thing."

"Really?" Helene asked. "Are you sure? You would think that with this being my third kid and all, I would know the difference between real labor and false labor."

"Well, don't be too hard on yourself," Astrid told her. "It's been nearly twenty years since you've had a child. People can forget things after that long. Now just go home and rest. And Adrian, you make sure she gets fluids and stays off her feet."

"All right," Adrian replied. "I will."

"So Grandma will be okay?" Henry asked Astrid.

"Yes," Astrid told him, patting his head. "She will. Don't worry."

They all went home and Henry and Margaret played together quietly in one of the other rooms while Helene rested and Adrian watched TV, waiting to hear if Helene called that she needed anything.

* * *

><p>Later, when Lenora came and picked the kids up, Henry told her, "Grandma almost had her baby today!"<p>

"She _did?"_ Lenora asked, looking at her father.

"We thought that, but according to your grandmother, it was just false labor," Adrian assured his worried daughter.

Lenora let out a relieved breath. "Good. I'm sure Mom would rather her parents weren't fighting by the time she went into labor anyway."

"Speaking of your grandparents," Adrian told Lenora, "Would it be too much to ask you to go talk some sense into your grandfather?" He asked. "There's not much time until the baby comes. you know."

"I know," Lenora said as she hustled Margaret and Henry toward the door. "And yes, I'll see what I can do with Grandpa."

* * *

><p>"So..." Lenora said as she strode into Alistair's house. "You and Grandma thinking about getting back together yet?"<p>

"No," Alistair replied. "Why?"

"Because Mom had false labor today," Lenora told her grandfather. "Look, I know you're pissed at Grandma for what happened with Conal, but do you_ really _think it's right for you to be still fighting with her when my brother is born?"

"Well, no, I don't," Alistair replied. "But that's really up to your grandmother, isn't it?"

"No!" Lenora shook her head. "You started this whole thing. You were the one who told her to go away. That means it's _your_ responsibility to patch things up. I know what it feels like to have parents who are just fighting with each other and being big pains in the ass. Don't put Mom through the same thing right before she gives birth, all right? Would you at least _talk_ to Grandma?"

"Fine," Alistair sighed. "I don't know how well that will go, but fine."

"All right," Lenora told him. "Good. I know this is something you don't really want to do, and you probably hate me for interfering, but really, it'll be good for the two of you in the end, you'll see."

Once she was gone, Alistair called Elijah. "Lenora just stopped by," he said. "Apparently, Helene had some false labor today, and that made her request that Astrid and I think of reconciling cause she doesn't want us still fighting when the child is born. Those were Lenora's words. What do you think, Elijah? Should I reconcile with Astrid?"

"I guess, if you really feel you should," Elijah replied. "That's not really something I can answer for you."

"I'll do it," Alistair replied. "It may be one of the worst decisions I've ever made, but I'll do it."

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the pair, Astrid was making the same sort of phone call to Selina.

"I really hope he can agree to reconcile," She said. "After seeing what Adrian and Helene's fight did to Felicity and Lenora, I don't want to put Helene in the same position cause Alistair and I are being petty and foolish."

"How about you give Alistair a call, and if everything works out, the four of us can meet at our tomorrow for a chat?" Selina suggested. "Will that work?"

"Yes," Astrid replied. "That'll be fine. Hopefully, Alistair and I will see you and Elijah tomorrow."

"That's what I hope too," Selina told her. "Good luck!"

* * *

><p>"Interesting thing," Selina told Elijah. "Astrid called and said that Alistair told her he's willing to forgive and forget. But they want us to both be there when they do, so I told them they could come here to hash things out. They'll be here in a bit."<p>

"I know," Elijah replied. "Alistair called me about it too, and told me everything else as well."

"Really?" Selina asked. "So you know that Helene had false labor, and that made Lenora think that Alistair and Astrid shouldn't be fighting when Helene gives birth to my grandson? And by the way, seeing Helene after that happens will probably involve me and Klaus being in the same room, so...I assume you want to come with me when I see the kid?"

"Yes," Elijah replied. "And if you think about it, it's not strange at all. Any of your descendants with Klaus are related to me, so why shouldn't I come with you?"

"Good point," Selina replied. "Now, we're gonna go support Alistair and Astrid, and we're gonna say nothing but positive stuff, all right?"

"You mean I shouldn't yell at Astrid at all?" Elijah replied.

"No," Selina shook her head. "Definitely not." Just then, the doorbell rang and Selina went to open the door. Astrid came in first, then Alistair right after her.

"All right," Alistair replied. "Let's get this over with. I have a patient that needs tending to, so I can't be away from home forever."

"Oh?" Astrid asked. "Who would that be? Hazel? I know you two are still being pretty comfy with each other."

"Actually, we've decided to change things," Alistair told her. "Our relationship is strictly professional now. And why are you trying to pick a fight with me when the point of this whole meeting is to allow us to reconcile?"

Astrid sighed. "You're right," she said, sitting down. "I apologize. I also apologize for what happened between me and Conal. Even though what I did I did with good intentions, I can see how it could be seen as something that was hurtful to you."

"Well, thank you," Alistair replied. "And I apologize for my dalliances with Hazel. They made me part of the problem rather than the solution."

"Well, thank you for admitting that," Astrid said. "It's very kind of you."

"Are we good?" Selina asked. "Are you all reconciled now?"

"I think so," Alistair replied. "It may take us a little while more to be truly friendly, but at least we're at a point where we can be civil."

"And I suppose that's all anyone can ask for now," Elijah said. ''Do you want to stay for lunch, or...?"

"Thank you for the offer," Alistair said. "But I left Hazel to come here, and I think we all know that it's a bad idea to leave Hazel unattended for too long, especially since she fibbed about not having powers."

"Maybe we could come back together tonight for a drink," Selina suggested.

"I'd like that," Astrid replied.

"Yes," Alistair shrugged. "Me too. See you tonight."

"Goodbye!" Selina called.

* * *

><p>He left and headed back to his house where Hazel sat on the couch in his office, pouting. "Where were you?" She asked. "It's not nice to just leave people high and dry like that."<p>

"I had a good reason," Alistair told her. "I had to see Astrid, but I apologize for inconveniencing you."

"You better," Hazel said. "So, what did you have to see Astrid for?"

"We've reconciled," Alistair replied shortly.

"But...but you hate her!" Hazel said. "She cheated on you with my father!"

"Well, circumstances don't allow us to be bitter toward each other anymore," Alistair replied. "Our fighting is putting stress on our daughter who is going to give birth in a month, and that's not good."

"So let me get this straight," Hazel told him. "You're just screwing me over because of your daughter's baby?"

"Oh. don't be over dramatic," Alistair said. "I'll still be there for you in a clinical, doctor-patient capacity. Just not in any other way. Can you accept that?"

"I guess," Hazel said. "If there's no other way around it."

"There isn't," Alistair replied. "Now, I'm gonna run to the bathroom. You stay here and get your thoughts together."

He left, and once the door was closed, Hazel said to herself, "_You_ might think there's no way for us to be together, but I do, and I _always_ get what I want!"


	31. Some Long Days

A month later, Helene was home alone, eating carrots, doing a crossword puzzle, and trying to be as comfortable as possible when the doorbell rang. She boosted herself up and went to open it, surprised to see Hazel on the other side.

"Hi," she said. "What's up? Wanna come in?"

Hazel grinned. "As a matter of fact, I do."

"So what brings you here?" Helene asked. "Did I...have I done something wrong?"

"Well, yes and no," Hazel replied. "You haven't done anything wrong by the council, but...I have a bone to pick with you."

Helene felt herself tense. "Why?" She asked, feeling magic crackle on her hands. "What have I done?"

At that point, Hazel got up and held a small came to hold a small knife to Helene's throat. "I like your father," Hazel whispered. "But he won't commit to me, and he says it's cause of you!"

With a grunt, Helene sent Hazel flying backwards into a wall, but the older witch didn't stay down for long.

"I was hoping we could do this in a civilized manner because of your condition," she said as she advanced on Helene. "But I guess not."

"Fuck my condition," Helene replied and charged. "Bring it on, bitch." They fought furiously their bodies hitting doors and walls, but amazingly, Helene seemed to be little-effected, until she felt her water break.

"Oh, god," she moaned, trying to stand up. She struggled for a bit and finally gave up, collapsing on the floor as Hazel advanced on her, a demented grin on her face. Then, to Helene's shock, something flew through the air and sliced Hazel's head clean off.

"What the hell?" Helene managed to get out before she let out a scream due to a contraction.

"Are you all right?" Adrian asked, coming over to Helene. "I got her, didn't I?" He then looked over and saw Hazel's severed head a few feet away from Helene's body. "I _did_!" He grinned. "Good!"

"What the hell did you throw to make her head go clean off like that?" Helene asked, wincing.

"That doesn't matter," Adrian replied. "The point is that she's dead now and...what in the hell is wrong with you?"

"She's in labor," Astrid said as she strode into the room. "You can help me or you can leave, Adrian. The room I mean. You can leave the room until all this is over. Whichever you choose is all right with me."

Helene gritted her teeth. "This might not take as long as you'd think," she said. "The baby really wants to come out!" She was right and within the next hour, Astrid (with assistance from Adrian) had delivered Adrian and Helene's baby boy, which they decided to name Liam, after Klaus' father's brother.

"I like it," Helene said as she cuddled her newly washed and wrapped up little boy. "Liam Mikaelson. It just fits, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," Adrian grinned and kissed Helene's hair before thanking Astrid for her help.

"It's no trouble, really," Astrid replied. "It was my pleasure. I should be thanking _you_ for helping _me."_

She got up and went to wash her hands one last time before coming back and telling the new parents, "Take your time with him. When you're ready for me to bring your father, Helene, just let us know."

"Oh, we'll probably be ready in a week or so," Helene replied.

"All right," Astrid replied, then paused. "Oh, and remember, it's best to not have sex for at least six weeks after delivery."

"Oh, come _on_!" Adrian said. "I was hoping you'd forget to tell us that!"

"Please," Astrid grinned. "You'll have enough to occupy yourself in the next month and a half that you won't miss sex _at all!"_

"Nice try, Astrid!" Adrian called after her as she left and closed the door behind her. But when she was gone, he looked at Helene. "I was just kidding about the sex thing," he said. "I can wait."

"I know you can," Helene replied. "I knew you were just teasing."

Adrian grinned. "It's a funny thing," he said. "But didn't you tell me that warlocks are rare?"

"In the sense that witches are born somewhat more often," Helene replied. "Yeah."

"That means we'll probably have throngs of women lining up to date Liam when he gets older," Adrian replied and patted his son's head fondly. "I can't wait for that."

"Well, since he's not all warlock, I don't see the majority of the magical community batting down our doors to date him no matter _how much _competition witches have for warlocks, but I could be wrong," Helene shrugged. "With your looks and charm, who knows _who _he'll manage to attract when he gets older?"

* * *

><p>"I have to say that I'm proud you're still here," Elijah told Adrian several days later as he and Selina came into the house to see baby Liam along with a bunch of other people. "Considering how last time went."<p>

"We've decided not to bring that up anymore," Helene told him. "Dwelling on the past doesn't help."

"Right," Elijah cleared his throat and fiddled with his tie. "I apologize."

"Anyway," Adrian told his uncle, "Did you know that Helene almost got killed? I'd gone out to get something and when I came back, I found her doing battle with Hazel. Then, she went into labor, and I had to step in and kill Hazel dead."

"That's the kind of teamwork that keeps a marriage together," Helene replied and gave Adrian a high five.

"Well, I hope you're okay," Selina said to Helene.

"Yeah, thanks," Helene replied. "I'm fine."

Selina looked down at baby Liam and made a sound in her throat. "He looks just like Adrian did when he was a baby!" She said. "I bet he's got the same cute little butt and everything."

"_Mom_!" Adrian cried, his face turning a deep scarlet. "Don't talk about that!"

"I think you've offended him," Elijah whispered to Selina. "Maybe you should apologize."

"I'm sorry," Selina said, giving her son a hug.

"I know you're only apologizing cause Uncle Elijah told you to, but thank you," he told her.

"You're welcome," Selina replied. She and Elijah walked off as more people clamored up to Adrian to congratulate him on the birth of his son, including his elder daughter. But despite the fact that she came to see her little brother, it was her father that she was most concerned about.

"Are you doing all right?" Lenora asked when she saw him. Adrian was trying to relax, but there was no doubt that he seemed irritated and twitchy and was trying his best to hide it.

"No, not really," Adrian admitted, running his fingers through his blond hair. "People have been coming in and out all day and I just...I need air!"

"All right," Lenora told him. "Why don't you go over and tell Mom, and when she tells you it's okay for you to go, I'll take over for you."

"You will?" Adrian asked. "Thanks!" He gave her a hug, went to find Helene and said, "Would you mind if I stepped out for a bit? I need some air."

"I wondered when you were gonna ask that," Helene told him. "I've noticed for awhile that you seemed like you were running on empty. Thanks for being such a trooper."

"Thank you!" Adrian said to her and gave her a kiss before he went out, grabbed a very shocked Gregory, and took the two of them away from the house.

"Can I ask why, out of all the people at the party, you took _me _out on this little jaunt?" Gregory asked dryly as he situated himself in the passenger seat of Adrian's car, and his brother turned on the ignition.

"Because you're the only one who would get what I'm going through right now," Adrian replied.

"I heard that you have issues with babies and small children," Gregory asked. "Is that what this is about?"

"No!" Adrian shook his head. "No, this is about Mom!"

"Mother?" Gregory asked, his eyebrows knitted. "What about her?"

"I just want to tell you something," Adrian told him. "Just be lucky you and Katherine can't have biological children. That way, Mom won't be able to come to your house and humiliate you by saying out loud that she thinks your kid has the same cute butt that you did when you were a baby."

Gregory allowed himself a chuckle at Adrian's expense. "Mother actually said that?"

"Yes!" Adrian replied, the humiliation of it still stinging. "She said it really loud too!"

"Well, not to make you feel worse," Gregory said, "but I don't think Mother would say that about me. She doesn't seem to have very fond memories of me when I was a baby. Apparently, all I did was judge her for eating cookie dough and refuse to play peekaboo, which put a damper on things for her."

"Well, anyway," Adrian said when it was clear he wasn't gonna get the sort of sympathy he wanted from Gregory. "Wanna go get a drink?"

"Sure," Gregory replied. "Are we going to Enid's?"

Adrian grinned and nodded. "Where else would we go? Besides, it'll give you another chance to see Roxie. I know how much you like that."

Gregory winced a little. It wasn't that he didn't love Adrian's sister, but sometimes, she came across as a little too wild for him to want to be in her company. "Wonderful," he said dryly. "It's a shame that we'll probably see her for just a few minutes, though."

"Actually that's not true," Adrian replied. "Enid left the bar to her, so we'll see her all the time."

"Wonderful," Gregory replied with a sigh. "I can't wait."

* * *

><p>"So, do you know if we're eventually gonna see your parents?" Adrian asked as they put Liam to bed a week or so later.<p>

Helene shrugged. "I should think so. I mean, I heard they were getting along, but I'm not sure how true that is."

They left the room just as they heard a knock on the front door.

"Stay back," Adrian told Helene. "You remember what happened the last time you answered the door."

Helene nodded. "I'll go sit on the sofa."

She went and sat, while Adrian picked up an umbrella and opened the door, taking a swing.

"Hold your fire, boy!" Alistair cried, shielding Astrid's head. "It's just us!"

"Oh, sorry," Adrian apologized, put the umbrella down, and ushered Alistair and Astrid into the house. "We've already put Liam to bed if you came to see him, but he'll probably be up in a few hours, if you can stay that long."

Alistair nodded distractedly, and then broke out into a run when he saw Helene, giving her a giant hug. "Are you all right?" He asked her. "I heard Hazel tried to kill you! That's all my fault. I should have kept a closer eye on her."

"It's all right, Daddy," Helene told her father. "I'm all right and Hazel is dead now, so you don't have to beat yourself up. We'll never be bothered by her again." She cleared her throat. "If you're planning to stay, can I get either of you anything?"

"No thanks, dear," Astrid replied. "Just sit and relax." She went and got herself and Alistair some wine and then smiled at her daughter. "So," she said, keeping her voice low. "How has Liam been since the last time I saw him?"

"Well, he's been doing all right since he was born," Helene replied. "No trouble at all."

"Good," Astrid nodded. "Wonderful."

"And what about you guys?" Helene returned. "Still fighting?"

"No," Astrid sighed. "We didn't really see the point anymore. We both did something wrong, we dealt with it, and now there's no point in dwelling on the past."

"Hear, hear," Adrian replied. "By the way, I'm so glad it was the pair of you that showed up and not my mother again."

"I don't see why you're so worked up about your mom showing up," Helene said. "What did she do wrong?"

"Well, how would you like_ your_ mother to go on and on about what a cute butt you had when you were a baby in a loud voice for everyone to hear?" Adrian replied testily. "She can't even control herself for a few minutes!"

"It could have been worse," Helene comforted her husband. "She could have gone on a rant about her and your dad's sex life."

"True," Adrian replied with a wince. "There _is _that." Sighing, he sat down, and Astrid asked, "Have you told Lenora and Felicity about their new brother yet?"

"Lenora knows, of course," Helene replied. "She came to the first meet and greet we set up with Liam. But honestly, I don't know what to do about Felicity. I think it could be wrong for us to expect her to be happy to have a new sibling after how we messed up her childhood. Things are good between us now. She comes by to visit, she calls us 'Mom' and 'Dad' now, and I just...I don't want to push it. Next time she comes, I'll show Felicity her new brother, but I won't say anything to her with the expectation that she should drop everything and come over to see him."

"Whatever you feel is right," Astrid replied.

They then waited until Liam woke up, and Helene led her parents to his bedroom while Adrian stayed in the living room watching television so Helene could have time with her parents and Liam uninterrupted.

Once she closed the door behind them all, Helene quickly changed Liam, and sat down to feed him as her parents took seats in chairs close by.

"Is it just like you thought it would be?" Astrid asked her daughter. "Having another child, I mean?"

"Well, there's definitely less stress this time around," Helene replied. "And that's nice. I know that I'll wake up in the morning and Adrian will still be right beside me. You have no idea how good it feels to go to bed knowing that."

"Well, we wish you the best of luck," Alistair told his daughter. "Hopefully, you won't need it, but you never know."

"No kidding," Helene replied, and then proffered the baby to her father. "Want to hold him?"

"Sure," Alistair replied and took him, trying to be relaxed. He then studied the little boy. "He's gonna look like Adrian," he said. "Why do your children always look like Adrian?"

"Not all of them do," Helene replied. "Lenora looks like me."

"True," Alistair replied. "There _is_ that."

"Don't think of them looking like Adrian," Astrid advised her husband, indicating her own blue eyes and blonde hair. "Pretend that they look like me instead. Would that make you feel better?"

"Yes," Alistair grumbled. "I suppose."

As Liam fell asleep again, Helene put him in his crib and faced her parents. "If you two don't want to bother going home, you can spend the night, it's no problem. It wouldn't put us out at all."

Alistair and Astrid looked at each other and nodded. "All right," Alistair replied. "Thank you, dear. Just show us where you want us to be, and we'll go there."


	32. Walking On The Wild Side

"Wow!" Selina said as she sat up in bed one morning. "We've got babies everywhere, don't we, Elijah?"

"We do," Elijah replied. "Well, except here, anyway."

"Oh, don't be sad," Selina told him. "We'll have another one eventually. Besides, how can you be sad about not having any babies when we have Felix?"

"He's a cat," Elijah said. "And a cat is not a baby. Did you notice that Niklaus wasn't at Adrian's? Why do you think that was?"

"Well, they have a little toddler to look after and they probably couldn't get anyone to babysit," Selina replied. "I'm sure they'll come and visit at some point."

"Where do you think Adrian went to when he left?" Selina asked. "Do you think it was cause of what I said?"

"Well, he took Gregory with him," Elijah told her. "Maybe they just went out for a drink."

"That could be," Selina shrugged. "And I didn't _mean_ to humiliate him, but he and Liam just look so much alike and I was overcome...you know how much trouble I have controlling my emotions."

"And your mouth," Elijah replied. "You have trouble controlling that too."

"Not all the time," Selina replied and leaned in to give him a big kiss. Elijah then moved so that she was underneath him, and they made time for two or three quick ones before they both got out of bed, Selina put her pajamas, and then, after Elijah had put his suit pants on, she helped him button his shirt. After the first three buttons were done, Elijah grabbed her hand, kissed it, and dipped her. Then, they heard a knock on the door.

"Are you in there, Mom?" Tristan called. "It's time for breakfast! Emily and her dad will be here to pick me up any minute!"

"Oh, right." Selina said. "Coming, Tristan!" She and Elijah went to open the bedroom door and found Tristan staring at them from the other side of the door with Felix at his side.

"About time!" he said. "We were all worried!"

"Sorry," Selina apologized. She and Elijah headed to the breakfast table and saw that all their children had practically finished their breakfasts and were getting their things ready for school.

"Well, it's good to know that everyone is essentially self-managing," Elijah said approvingly. Selina looked at Margaret. "Are you ready for school?" She asked.

"Yes," Margaret replied. "But Mommy, is it okay if Daddy takes me to school today?"

"Sure," Selina replied. "If it's okay with your daddy, that is."

"Would you do it, Daddy?" Margaret asked Elijah, her eyes big. _"Please?"_

Elijah sighed. "I don't know if that's a good idea," he said. "You know that Daddy has a very nice car that people have to be very careful in, right? I don't know if Henry will be able to behave himself.

"Yes, he will!" Margaret replied. "I promise!"

"I'm here, Grandma!" Henry said to Selina, popping in behind her with a suddenness that made Elijah start as Tristan headed out to meet Emily and her dad. Henry held a cup of something that he was sucking up with a straw in one hand and a half wrapped greasy breakfast sandwich in the other. "I hope I'm not late."

"No, you're not!" Margaret told him. "And we're riding with Daddy to school today!" The kids ran out to the car and Elijah gritted his teeth. "Did you see what Henry is eating?" He asked Selina. "It's gonna get all over my car!"

"Oh, relax!" Selina told him. "Henry can do magic, remember? Just ask him to clean up after himself when you get to school."

"Fine," Elijah said, feeling a little despondent.

"What a trooper," Selina said and kissed him. "Margaret isn't doing this to torture you. She just wants to spend time with you is all."

"I know," Elijah replied. "I can deal with it. It'll be fine. Have a drink waiting for me when I get home, won't you, dear? And make it a big one."

"Sure," Selina nodded. "Whatever you want."

Elijah nodded and steeled himself before going out to the car where Margaret and Henry were waiting. Elijah opened the back seat and just as Henry was about to get in, some of the melted cheese dripped off the sandwich and landed right on the seat. Elijah shut his eyes as Henry looked at him and said, "Sorry." He zapped the mess away, got a better grip on the sandwich, and sat down. Once Henry and Margaret were buckled in, Elijah got in the driver's seat and started the car, trying to be calm and keep his eyes on the road, but every time he heard the pinging from the backseat that indicated Henry was cleaning up another mess made from the sandwich or his drink, he felt the vein in his forehead throb until they reached school and Elijah nearly threw the both of them out of his car without even wishing Margaret a good day.

"Are you okay, Daddy?" Margaret asked as she gave him a hug.

"I will be," Elijah promised, patting her head. "I just need to get home to your mother."

"All right," Margaret nodded. "Goodbye."

He then zipped home and was barely inside before he snatched his drink from Selina's hands.

'So I take it that things didn't go well?" Selina asked, her arms crossed, as Elijah sat down.

"No," Elijah shook his head. "That Henry...if he didn't have magic to clean up his messes with, I think I would have killed him. You're picking them up from school."

"All right," Selina nodded, patting his shoulder. "Just calm down."

"I _am_ calm!" Elijah replied.

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "You sure look like it."

"You're acting like I'm unreasonable!" Elijah replied.

"I know, but I also know your car is like your chair," Selina replied. "You care for it very much. Almost like it's one of your children. Yet you still agreed to take Margaret to school in spite of that, just to make her happy. I'm proud of you, Elijah. And I'll be more than happy to pick the kids up while you do whatever it is you're gonna do around the time school ends."

"Thank you," Elijah replied and gulped down his drink before handing her the empty glass. "Now, can I have another one?"

* * *

><p>Laura was preparing to color her hair (with Charlie watching interestedly from his carrier) when Edward came in. "Don't do that on him yet!" He warned, moving to protect his son as Laura took the neon orange coloring in hand. "He's too little!"<p>

Laura looked at Charlie, then at Edward, then at the container of coloring she held. "I wasn't gonna do it to_ him_!" She replied. "Just myself! I only brought him in here because you were busy doing number crunching stuff and I thought you wouldn't want to be distracted."

"Well, thank you," Edward replied. "Do you think you might want to put a cover over his nose and mouth or something so he doesn't breathe in any fumes?"

"He's not gonna breathe in any fumes!" Laura replied. But, to placate Edward, she went and got a towel, placing it over her son so that only his eyes were exposed. "If you wanna stay here and be assured of his safety, you'll probably have to cover yourself too," Laura replied. "I have pretty good control over the spray nozzle, but you never know when some of the dye might spray everywhere."

"Or I could just take him somewhere else," Edward replied. "Until you're done with your hair, that is."

"I guess," Laura replied. "If you want."

Then, Charlie began to cry.

"Don't worry!" Laura said, picking him up. "We'll color your hair some day. But you don't have enough of it right now." She hugged him to her and he quieted. "Interesting reaction," Edward remarked.

"You seem surprised," Laura replied dryly.

"I'm not," Edward replied. "You can keep him in here with you if you promise to be careful."

"Oh, I suppose this can wait," Laura said and carried Charlie out. "I can color my hair when he's napping. That'll be easier on everyone."

Edward nodded and then started to carry Charlie out, when all of a sudden, he realized Charlie needed to be changed.

"You want me to do it?" He asked Laura. "So you can color your hair?"

"All right," Laura nodded. "If you want to."

Edward nodded and went to change Charlie as Laura started to color her hair. All was fine until Edward let out a shriek, followed by Charlie bursting into tears. Sighing, Laura put her color comb down and went into Charlie's bedroom. "All right," she said. "What's the matter?"

"What's this?" Edward asked, pointing at Charlie's stomach. "Laura, what have you _done_ to him?" What had Edward so worked up was a series of little animal drawings that were all over Charlie's stomach in red ink.

"I wondered when you were gonna freak out about those," Laura replied. "But just relax. It's special ink that washes off in a bath. And you wouldn't have known it was there if you hadn't had to undress him, so what does it hurt if he likes it?"

"All right," Edward conceded. "If you only put it on parts of his body that are covered up by clothes, it's fine. But nothing visible. I have some very prestigious schools I'm thinking about registering him for, and it might not bode well for his future if they reject him cause he's covered in tattoos."

"All right, all right," Laura replied. Edward then started to put clothes on Charlie when the baby began crying.

"What now?" Edward asked desperately.

"Simple," Laura replied, and got out one of the washable pens and began making swirling designs on Charlie's tummy. The baby stopped crying and made happy noises instead. After he was calm, Laura blew on his tummy to dry the pictures, and then dressed him up in his little outfit.

"See?" Laura said to Edward. "I told you he likes it. Part of me really wants to do the same to you as well." She began unbuttoning his shirt. "Just take off your shirt and run the marker down your stomach like..."

Edward felt tingles go throw his body as she gently ran her pointer finger down his chest to his belly button, then kissed him.

"The baby..." Edward said, his eyes closed, focusing on the tingles he'd felt.

Laura turned and picked up Charlie from the changing table. "He's fine," she said. "Relax."

"I don't know if I can," Edward replied.

"Well," Laura grinned. "I'll just have to help you with that later."

* * *

><p>Once again, Astrid and Alistair were visiting and Helene let her parents pick out whatever room they wanted. "I'm surprised the two of you want to sleep in the same room after all that happened," Helene said. "But I'm glad too."<p>

"We're glad you're happy, darling," Alistair told her. "Goodnight." Helene wished them good night and then they went off in search of a room. It didn't take them long to find one that was empty.

"Now, are we actually sharing the bed?" Astrid asked Alistair. "I mean, I'm up for it. It all depends if you are."

Alistair sighed. "Why not?" He said. "The whole point of our whole fight was that we were upset that we were seeking out intimacy with other people, so here's our chance to fix it."

"You're so right," Astrid replied. Then, without giving Alistair any warning, she zapped off her clothes so she was just standing in front of him in her underwear. "Your turn," she said with a grin.

Alistair gasped. "Astrid, I hardly it's appropriate to-"

"Fine!" Astrid interrupted and zapped off his clothes herself. When he saw, he gasped and tried to cover himself up.

"You really_ are _a silly man," Astrid told her husband. "There are times I wonder how I ever got pregnant with Helene in the first place."

That made Alistair raise an eyebrow. He backed her up against the bedroom wall, kissed her, and then, with a movement of his fingers, sent her panties falling down to her ankles. "You were saying?" He asked her, panting hard, his dark brown eyes black with desire.

"I was?" Astrid asked. "Well, I forgot, so...carry on." He grinned, kissed her, and carried her to bed. Things started out well enough, but as they were getting hot and heavy, Alistair froze, his eyes getting big.

"What?" Astrid asked. "Alistair, are you okay?"

"I don't know if I can do this," Alistair replied as Astrid groaned.

"Come on!" Astrid said. "Why not?"

"Cause we're in our daughter's house and I feel like us making love in here would be intrusive," Alistair replied.

"Oh, come on!" Astrid replied. "Why? It's not like she has no idea we still do this. She has to. I'm sure she wouldn't mind! Besides, we had sex in Klaus and Selina's house and that didn't seem to be a problem for you? Remember? Selina even found us lathering each other up in the jacuzzi tub!"

"And that's not an experience I care to repeat with Helene," Alistair replied. "It was embarrassing then, and it would be embarrassing now."

"I don't think so," Astrid replied, moving her bare foot up and down his leg. "As I recall, you weren't embarrassed at _all_ back then."

"Well, that's because it was sort of like our house too!" Alistair explained. "But this is different! And stop doing that to my leg! It's not the right time."

Astrid sighed, got out of bed, put a robe on, and urged Alistair to do the same and follow her. They left the room and walked to Adrian and Helene's, where Astrid knocked on the door. Helene answered a few seconds later. "Yes?" She asked politely.

"Your father is uncomfortable with the two of us having sex this evening becase we're at your house," Astrid told Helene while Alistair's face got redder and redder. "But it's okay for us to do it, right? You don't have a problem with it?"

Helene's jaw dropped a little, then opened and closed a few times. "See?" Alistair replied. "I told you she'd be uncomfortable, Astrid!"

"No!" Helene got out. "No, go ahead. It's okay. We don't mind."

"Don't mind about what?" Adrian asked, sounding as if he were half awake.

"Nothing!" Helene told him. "Never mind. Go back to sleep!"

"All right," Adrian said and fell asleep again. Then, Helene turned back to her parents. "You two have a good night," she said. "It won't bother us, really."

"All right," Alistair said and took Astrid's hand, pulling her away from Helene and Adrian's room. When they were a distance away, he picked her up and carried her the rest of the way and over the threshold, into the room before putting a sound blocking spell, setting her on her feet and kissing her soundly. Then, he kissed down her neck, and undid her robe, his hand moving down her stomach and between her legs as her robe fell her to her feet.

"Oh, my god," Astrid moaned. "Yes, yes! Alistair, my god!" She clung to him, her fingers ruffling his longish brown hair for a little bit before she untied _his _robe, her fingers lightly stroking his ab muscles before gently stroking him. He then let out a growl and pushed Astrid to the floor, looming over her as she breathed heavily and waited. Her heart was pounding, but not from fear. From excitement. She and Alistair had had sex before, of course, throughout their entire marriage, and it hadn't been awful by any means, but this was the first time in awhile that she truly felt excited by it all. She continued to stare up at him and wait. A few seconds later, he snatched her up, pulled her to himself, and pushed into her. She let out an unrestrained shriek, knowing that no one in the house would be able to hear.

She then used her magic to make the two of them switch positions. Now, it was Alistair breathing heavily as _she_ loomed over _him_. She leaned forward and nibbled on his ear. "You're so sexy," she whispered. Then, she kissed him, moving her hips so that he could enter her as he sat up, put his arms around her, and held her tight, thinking that it was strange that they were having a much more relaxing night than their daughter, who was undoubtedly up and going to check on Liam by now. "Interesting that Helene is being the parent now, and not us, huh?" She asked Alistair.

"Yes," Alistair nodded. "And I think I like it, don't you?"

"Oh, yes," Astrid replied. "Definitely."

"But we're not gonna do this again in Helene and Adrian's house," Alistair said firmly. "Just at home."

"I don't care _where _we do it," Astrid replied. "I just want to. Again, and again, and again."


	33. Come Back To Me

"Alistair!" Elijah said as the warlock strode through his and Selina's front door looking much happier than he usually did. "You look happy. What brought on the good mood?"

"Astrid and I had sex last night!" Alistair replied.

"Did you?" Elijah asked. "You act as if that's a rare occurrence. Are you and Astrid having problems?"

"No, but last night, we had a bit more fun than we usually do. We went until we were both worn out," Alistair clarified.

"Well, good for you," Elijah replied, not knowing what else to say. He paused. "I'm glad you and Astrid are together again."

"Me too," Alistair replied. "This wasn't our first parting since we met. It wasn't even the longest. But it was long enough."

"What_ was _the longest?" Elijah asked. "If it's not too personal a question."

"It was at the end of the twenties," Selina replied before Alistair could answer. "Not long after he and she first met, as a matter of fact. But I'll shut up now and let him tell you the rest."

"How kind of you," Alistair replied dryly. "I appreciate it. Now, if I may continue..."

_"Alistair?" Klaus asked. "I'm going out to see Sera sing again tonight. Would you like to come with me? You can see that cigarette girl you're in love with."_

_"I am not in love with anyone," Alistair replied. "Especially not Miss Astrid Larson." He paused. "Well, technically, she's Astrid Fale, since her mother is a witch and that's her mother's last name, but since her father is human, she has her father's last name."_

_Klaus sighed. "You know, I never understood that witch habit of the woman's name being the one that the man takes when you marry."_

_Alistair shrugged. "Well, that's just how it is. Anyway, yes. I don't need to see her."_

_"Oh, come on!" Selina (who was going by Sera then) told him. "You know you like her. We know you like her. Just say something to her, would you?"_

_"All right," Alistair said, waving them both away. "You don't have to rush me. Let me dress fast and I'll come with you."_

_They waited for him and then drove to the bar where Selina worked as a waitress/singer. When they arrived, she went to change into her costume for her act while Klaus and Alistair took a seat at a table near the stage. Klaus then watched with a smirk on his face as Alistair took his last cigarette out of his pocket._

_"Looks like you'll have to get more of those," he said with a chuckle. "And I wonder just _who_ could help you with that?"_

_"All right, all right," Alistair said. "Enough with the less than subtle hints. I get your point." He then got up out of his chair and carefully approached the table where Astrid stood, in her nice blue dress that went so nicely with her eyes, surrounded by cigarettes and candy. "Hello," he said when he reached her counter, keeping his eyes averted._

_"Hello!" Astrid greeted him with a smile. "What can I getcha , Professor?"_

_"You always call me that," Alistair said, his head snapping up. "Why?"_

_"Well, because you haven't told me your name yet, cutie," Astrid responded with a wink. "Wanna tell me it now?"_

_"Al-Al-Alistair," Alistair managed to get out, and then flushed a deep red._

_"Well, hello, Alistair!" Astrid greeted him. "You know, I get off work in a few minutes...if you're not busy, maybe we could do something."_

_Alistair started to respond, but ended up just choking on some spit instead. Astrid came around her counter, whacked Alistair on the back a time or two, and then picked up his cigarett, which had fallen to the floor, offering it to him. "Are you okay?" She asked when he took it._

_"Yes, thank you," he nodded. "I'm fine. I came to ask you for another couple of boxes of those, as a matter of fact."_

_"All right," Astrid replied, and magicked two boxes of cigarettes on the counter. "They'll be on me. I don't mind at all."_

_"Well, thank you," Alistair said, surprised by her generosity. "And as for your invitation, I accept it. Just let me go and tell the people I came with that I'm leaving."_

_"All right," Astrid replied. "Can't wait."_

_Alistair then turned away and strode back to Klaus. "Miss Larson has asked me to go on an outing with her," he told him. "Alone."_

_"Really?" Klaus asked. "Good for you, mate! Have a good night and I don't expect to see you until tomorrow."_

_"Oh, don't be stupid, Klaus!" Alistair replied. "I've done a terrible thing!"_

_"Why?" Klaus asked. "You like her, she likes you. What's the problem?"_

_"Well, she can't be more than twenty," Alistair replied. "And think about how old I am? It's ridiculous. Not to mention creepy."_

_"Oh, don't be silly," Klaus dismissed this statement. "Sera is almost a thousand years younger than me, and that's not a problem for us. I mean, you don't look the age you are. Just take a chance."_

_"All right," Alistair replied doubtfully. "If you think it's right."_

_"It's not just right," Klaus told him. "It's perfect." Alistair just gave him a smile and went to meet Astrid for their very first date, and on the way out, told Astrid, "By the way, I'm a warlock you know."_

_"I figured as much," Astrid replied. "Seeing as how you've never run away in fear whenever I make your cigarettes just appear."_

_"Well, all right, then," Alistair replied. "Glad we got that out in the open."_

_"Me too," Astrid replied. "Now we can focus on more important things." And then, to Alistair's surprise, right in front of the bar building, where anyone could see, she gave him a great big kiss._

"I can't believe you almost didn't date Astrid cause you were afraid you were too old for her!" Selina said. "Thank god Klaus brought you back to your senses."

"I'm glad for that too," Alistair replied. "We were inseparable for several years after that, but then the war separated us. She was working as a nurse for the army, and I had my own things that I was doing, and we just got separated."

"But you found each other again," Selina said. "That was the important part."

"Yes," Alistair replied. "It certainly was." He stood up with a smile. "I think I'm going to go see Astrid. You two don't mind, do you?"

"No," Elijah grinned. "Go ahead. We're not going to stop you."

"All right, goodbye!" Alistair said, then zapped himself away, causing Selina and Elijah to grin at each other and hug. "They're so cute," Selina said. "Just as cute as we are."

"Oh, I don't think that's true!" Elijah protested. "But they're a close second for sure."

* * *

><p>"What are you so happy about?" Astrid asked as Alistair came in the door.<p>

"Oh, nothing," Alistair replied, took her in his arms and dipped her gracefully. "I was just at Elijah and Selina's and we got to talking about the first time we met."

"Oh, my god!" Astrid said with a smile. "You mean when I was the cigarette and candy girl at Selina's club and you were too shy to ask me out even though you wanted to?"

"I know," Alistair replied. "I was a fool back then."

"No, you weren't," Astrid replied. "You were adorable. The best part of my day."

"You're joking," Alistair said.

"No, I'm not," Astrid shook her head. "You were the one guy who didn't try to put his hands on me or call my by some stupid or demeaning nickname. You were just some sweet, shy guy that liked me. And I knew that if I didn't snatch you up real quick, someone else would."

"And you never thought I was too old for you?" Alistair asked.

"No," Astrid replied. "I didn't even know your real age until you told me. And even if I _had_ known how old you were, it wouldn't have mattered, cause like I said, you weren't some creep that only wanted me for my body."

"Well, good," Alistair replied. "Cause the whole age thing worried me at first."

Astrid's jaw dropped a little. "Are you kidding? You spent all your time with Klaus and Selina and you were _still_ worried that a relationship wouldn't succeed because of an age difference? Truth be told, it surprised me when you were interested in me too, what with my dad being human and all. That and just being a simple girl from Minnesota."

"Please," Alistair chuckled. "With my troubles, I'm the _last_ person who should be allowed to criticize anyone about anything like that. I was a criminal."

"But you're not now," Astrid replied. "You're a guy that I've loved ever since I saw you stumble and fall to the floor when you were walking toward my counter cause you were so busy staring at me that you lost control of your own feet. And I saw all those times you'd throw a bunch of the cigarettes from the boxes I gave you away so that you could come and get more from me later."

"Oh," Alistair flushed. "You saw that?"

"Yes," Astrid nodded. "I laughed every time. Though my manager wouldn't have. But don't worry. I never told him."

"Good," Alistair replied. "Cause I wouldn't have wanted you to get in trouble on my account."

Astrid sighed. "The things we do for love, huh, Professor?"

"Indeed," Alistair replied. "You couldn't be more right."

* * *

><p>Roxie looked up as Sam and Addie walked into the bar. They both looked absolutely exhausted, and she thought of telling them not to sit on the bar stools in case they fell off them.<p>

"How's moving into the house going?" She asked. "Tiring?"

"Yeah," Addie nodded. "Even with my powers, it's taking awhile."

"My sympathies," Roxie replied and looked at Sam. "Will you be able to do a set tonight, or not?"

"No, I'll be able to," Sam replied. "My dad said that he and Lucy would help move the rest of our stuff in if we had to work."

"All right," Roxie replied. "If you're sure." Then she said, "You probably came here for a break from unpacking, didn't you? What can I get you?"

"Whatever's closest," Sam replied. "I don't care what it is."

"Yeah," Addie replied. "Give me the same."

"All right," Roxie said. "And when you're done moving in, let us know. Your dad's real eager to see the place you picked out."

"It's nice and homey," Addie said.

"Yeah," Sam nodded. "Not to mention private. That was the most important thing for us. Not that we won't have people over sometimes, of course."

Roxie nodded and went to get them a couple of beers, then called for Vince to go down to the storage room and get some more.

"On it," Vince told her. But before he went, he paused to smile at Addie. "Can't wait to see the new house," he said to her. "And you. I've missed you, sweetie."

Addie felt her face heat up. "I feel the same, Daddy." She paused. "Say, you know about construction and stuff, don't you?"

"Sure," Vince asked. "Why?"

"Cause there's work that needs to be done on the house at some point and I wondered if you'd be willing to help out with it," Addie replied.

"Sure," Vince replied. "But you have to help too. I had your brother help me with the motorcycles for years and now I want you to help me with house repair. It'll be a good skill set for you to have."

"All right," Addie replied with a sigh, thinking of splinters. "Of course, Daddy."

"Good," Vince replied and gave her a kiss.

Once he was gone, they stayed at the bar for a little while longer, then paid for their drinks and left, with Sam assuring Roxie he'd be back to play that night. When they reached the house, they found Lucy and Damon bringing some of the smaller things into the house.

"Thanks for your help," he told his sister. "But don't you need me to tell you where to put all that stuff?"

"Actually," Lucy answered, "We're just gonna bring all the smaller stuff in and put it in one room, then once it's all inside, _then_ you can tell us where it goes."

"Huh," Sam replied. "Good idea, Lucy."

"Thanks," she replied and headed inside with one of his guitars.

"You're here!" Damon exclaimed as he came out the front door as Lucy went in. "Want to help me bring your bed in, Sam?"

"I can help too," Addie said. "I can use my powers to give us more maneuvering space."

"All right," Damon replied. He and Sam then took the bed in piece by piece, and after it was all in, Addie assembled it with one wave of her hand.

"Well, that's handy," Damon replied. They brought the rest of the bigger pieces in, and then took a break when Sam announced it was time for him to go back to the club.

"How about we come with you?" Damon asked him. "Would you mind?"

"No," Sam replied. "Why would I? Of course you can come."

"You wanna come too?" Damon asked Lucy.

"Sure," she replied. "Why not? I haven't been there since Roxie took over. It'll be interesting to see what my sister has done to the place."

When they got to the club, Lucy and Damon took seats at tables and ordered drinks while to Addie's surprise, Sam brought her backstage with him. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"I was thinking that I might ask you up to sing with me tonight," he said. "You know we've been practicing that duet of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." Why not do it tonight?"

"I don't know," Addie replied. "I'm not very good. The only time I think I sound good is in the shower."

"Are you kidding?" Sam asked. "You sound great all the time."

"Well, all right," Addie replied. "I'll do it for this one song, but if I suck, then that's it, all right?"

"You're not gonna suck," Sam replied. "You'll do great!" He then picked up his guitar and went to wait for his cue as Roxie introduced him. The crowd roared, cheered, and whistled, and then the show started. Addie stood nervously backstage waiting for him to introduce her, and when he did (with her parents cheering the loudest), she walked out, feeling butterflies in her stomach. As the music started, she felt her legs turn to jelly. She began to fall, and Sam grabbed her, putting the guitar down and holding her hand, singing the song acapella instead. She didn't join him at first, but when she finally took a deep breath, and began singing, hearing her voice meld with his, it sounded flawless, much better than the shower. She was even able to dance a little and give the crowd a smile, even as Sam smiled encouragingly at her. At the end, they both took bows, and Sam whispered, "Are you okay? Do you need to run to the bathroom and throw up?"

"No," she whispered back. "I'm fine. In fact, what's your next song? I want to do this again!"

* * *

><p>"That was some story that Alistair told us, wasn't it?" Elijah said to Selina that night. "I had no idea that they had to be separated like we did."<p>

"Well, they did," Selina replied. "It wasn't pretty, or fair, but it happened."

"Kind of makes you realize you have to treasure every day, doesn't it?" Elijah asked.

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "I completely agree." Then, without much ceremony, she pulled him to her and kissed him.

"Aren't you gonna ask what that was for?" Selina asked after she ended the kiss.

"No," Elijah replied. "I think I have a pretty good idea." Then, Selina giggled as he pulled her underneath him. "How about we do this in your car?" Selina asked.

"No," Elijah replied flatly. "You know I'll let you do anything during sex, but not that. It's already been stained enough for awhile."

"Fine," Selina replied. But then she had less cause to be angry as Elijah slipped his tongue inside her. She just sighed and lay back, letting him do what he wanted without complaint.

When she came, she let out a shriek and clutched the mattress so she wouldn't fall off. "Wow," she told Elijah. "That was something."

"Well, you're too kind," Elijah replied with a smirk, then pulled her up to sit, taking her in his arms again and giving her another kiss. "It was really hard for me to see you get on the boat when you left me in Paris," he said. "I know it probably didn't seem like it, but it was."

"Well, I knew I had to mean something to you," Selina told him. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have defied your father to keep me safe. Don't think I don't realize what a big decision that was for you, and I just want to tell you how touched I am that you picked my safety over your allegiance to your father, despite knowing that it would undoubtedly cause you a bunch of trouble in the future."

"I didn't have to think twice about it," Elijah said. "And you know why?"

Selina grinned and put her arms around him. "Because you love me?"

"So much," Elijah nodded, ruffling her hair. "I don't know if you have any idea _how_ much."

Selina grinned and rested her cheek on his shoulder. "Well, if it's the same amount I love you," she said, "then it must be a lot."


	34. On The Job

"Did you know that your brother Kol got Amy's sister pregnant?" Selina asked Elijah after returning home from a lunch with Amy.

"Can't say I'm surprised," Elijah replied dryly. "Who knows how many children he's fathered over the years. I feel really sorry for Amy's sister."

"Actually, Amy said they're gonna try and work it out this time," Selina replied. "He must really like her."

Elijah let out a chuckle. "Kol? Really? I think the only person he loves is himself."

"Well, people can change," Selina said. "Even your self-absorbed brother. And hey, when they have their kid, it'll mean another baby for you to play with!"

"True," Elijah replied. "But it's not the same."

"I know it's not," Selina said as she patted him on the shoulder. "But some day, the kids we have now will all be out of the house, and then we'll start again, all right?"

"But that'll take a long time," Elijah said.

"Oh, I bet it won't," Selina replied. The phone rang and Selina left a sad-looking Elijah to go answer it. "That was Edward," she said when she came back. "He wants to bring Charlie over. Is that okay with you?"

"Yes," Elijah replied, trying not to look too eager. "Tell them they can come right over!"

"All right," Selina replied. She made the call and Edward came over with Charlie a short while later.

"So, how do you think it will be, being at home with Charlie while Laura is at work?" Selina asked him. Laura was coming back to work at the bar in a couple of days. "Difficult?"

"I thought it would be," Edward admitted. "When Laura first proposed the idea, I told her I thought she was insane. But now that I've done it for a little bit, now that she's let me practice before she officially starts work again, it's not so bad."

Selina gave Elijah a wicked grin. "You know, since Edward seems to be having such fun, why don't I let you have a chance watching the kids? What do you think?"

"I don't think so," Elijah told Selina, his expression like a deer trapped in headlights.

"Why?" Selina asked. "Are you afraid of them? It's only Tristan and Margaret that would need watching. Margaret would just hang with you, and Tristan would stay in his room."

"I still don't know if leaving me alone with children for a period of time is a good idea," Elijah replied.

"Wait a minute," Edward told Elijah. "You mean, Laura has all those siblings and you've never once watched them by yourself?"

"No," Elijah shook his head. "Not for long periods of time, anyway. It's really...really not my thing."

"How do you know it's not your thing if you've never done it before?" Selina asked.

"Oh, I've done it," Elijah replied. "Remember how many siblings I have. And I'm one of the older ones, so who do you think watched the others while Father hunted and Mother kept house? That's right, _me!_ And I swore after it was all over that I would never do it again."

"Come on, give it a shot," Selina said. "How about this weekend? Amy and I are gonna have a baby shower for her sister and I'll be gone for a whole day."

"I don't know," Elijah replied doubtfully.

"Oh, yeah, you do," Selina said. "You can do it. How about I bring you stuff from the bakery to eat while you watch the kids?"

"That makes it a _little _better," Elijah conceded. "All right, I'll do it. But I can't guarantee everything will turn out perfectly."

"I know," Selina replied. "I would be surprised if it did. But that's nothing to be upset about. It's just part of learning." She took Charlie from Edward and held him out to Elijah. "And you can start by bonding with him."

* * *

><p>Roxie looked up as the door to the bar opened and smiled when she saw her father and Amy come in.<p>

"You know, you could have brought Savannah with you," she said when she went to hug him. "That would have been all right, you know."

"I do," Klaus replied. "But Amy, she was a little worried about having a small child in this atmosphere."

"Way to make me sound like the bad guy," Amy narrowed her eyes at Klaus.

"Don't even worry about it," Roxie replied. "Uncle Elijah is _way _snottier about this place than you are. He didn't even want Laura to work here at first."

Just then, who else but Laura strode into the bar. "Speak of the devil," Roxie grinned and went to hug her. "Are you sure you're okay to work tonight?"

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "Edward brought Charlie over to Mom and Dad's, so I'm a hundred percent free!"

Then, she saw her uncle. "Hey!" She said, coming to hug him. "You wanna be my first customer on my first day back on the job? What'll you have?"

"Just whatever you've got," Klaus told her. "I'm not particularly picky."

"All right," Laura replied. "I'll just surprise you." He nodded and then when she left, he turned to Amy. "See? This isn't so bad. We're having fun."

"It's all right, I guess," Amy sighed.

"Do you still sing?" Roxie asked. "I mean, I know the two of you won that karaoke contest we had that one time. Wanna sing some more? Karaoke starts in a little bit."

"All right," Amy sighed, then paused. "Actually, I think I'll take a pass on that. But don't worry, I'll find some way to entertain myself." She sidled off just as Laura came back with Klaus' drink. He examined it with a grin. "A Bloody Mary. How nice."

"I know it's a morning, drink, but, you know..." Laura shrugged, then whispered in his ear. "I put actual blood in it," and then put a finger to her lips. "Don't tell anyone."

Klaus chuckled. "They won't hear it from me." He stayed at the bar, continuing to drink the Bloody Marys Laura brought him, chatting with people, and even watching the karaoke contest. Afterward, he realized that he hadn't seen or heard Amy since she'd run off to one of the back rooms.

"Have you seen Amy?" He asked Roxie as she came back to the bar carrying a bottle of rum and a bottle of vodka and put them down so Vince could come and shelve them.

"No," Roxie shook her head. "Not since she went into one of the back rooms."

Klaus nodded and then wandered into the back rooms, hollering for his wife. "Amy? If you'd like to go now, I'm okay with it!"

"Just a minute!" Amy called back. Klaus followed her voice and went into one of the game rooms, where, to his surprise, he saw his wife playing pool with a bunch of rough-looking werewolves. As she shot the final balls of this particular round into their pockets, the men grumbled and handed her money, except for one. "I think you're cheating," he said, getting right up in her face. "I don't know how you're doing it, but you are."

Klaus was about to go defend her, but then stayed back to see what Amy would do.

"Oh, really?" She asked. "Have you _seen_ me cheat? Name one time that I openly cheated."

"Like I said," the man replied through his teeth. "I don't know how you're doing it."

"Well, then, it's most likely I'm not cheating, just very skilled, and _you_ are a sore loser," Amy replied. "You have a good day now."

But instead of having a good day, the man let out a growl and took a swing at Amy, who promptly sent a ball of magic straight into his gut that knocked the wind out of him and sent him tumbling to the floor.

"You want another one?" Amy asked and blew on the pool cue as if it were a smoking gun.

"No," the werewolf replied, irritated. "But this isn't the last you've seen of me. I want a rematch!"

"Fine!" Amy called after his retreating back. "Just tell me when, Sport!"

"Well, well, well," Klaus said, grinning at her. "I come to take you away from a place where you usually have a miserable time, and here I find you hustling pool and making lots of friends. I had no idea you were a pool player."

"Well," Amy replied, you learn something new every day." But when they got to the car and were driving out of the parking lot, Amy made a confession. "He was right, you know," she replied. "I sorta _was_ cheating. I enchanted the pool cue so I'd win. Are you gonna make me give the money back?"

"No!" Klaus shook his head and grinned. "Love, that's genius! I had no idea you had it in you!"

"I should have known you'd praise me," Amy replied. "But let's just keep this a thing between us. And not breathe a word of it to Kol or Margot."

"Yeah, cause I don't know how Margot would respond to the fact that the woman who is always telling her to be more responsible cheats burly, scary men out of their money."

"Well, she'd probably make me do it more," Amy replied. "And it's not something I want to make a habit of."

"Are you sure?" Klaus asked. "You looked like you were enjoying yourself."

"I was," Amy nodded. "But only a little."

* * *

><p>"I'm glad the two of you were able to get away from your dad," Jake told Diana.<p>

"And Hayley," Diana said. "We thought it would be nice to get her away from him too."

"Well, good," Jake replied. "So what are you gonna do now?"

"I don't know," Joey replied, looking at Diana. "I guess we have to find a place to live, don't we? We can't stay here forever."

"Why not?" Jake asked. "It's not like I don't have the space and it would stop your mom from worrying if she knew you were with someone she trusted."

"Well, I don't know," Joey replied. "I wouldn't want to be an inconvenience to you and Sherry."

"You wouldn't be," Jake replied. "So, what do you say? Wanna stay, at least for now?"

"Well, for now, sure," Diana replied as Joey nodded along with her. "As long as you're offering, we'd love to take you up on the offer."

"And to earn our keeps, I bet Mom would give us jobs at the club," Joey added.

"You don't have to worry about earning your keeps," Jake said. "But if you want to work at the club, I'm sure your mom wouldn't turn you down."

"Good point," Joey said. Later, he and Diana went to the bar to talk to his mother.

"Can Diana and I have jobs here?" he asked Roxie.

"Well, of course!" Roxie replied. "And if you guys need rooms too, you can have them. There are plenty available upstairs."

"Actually, Uncle Jake said we could live with him for awhile," Joey told his mom. "Have I told you that?"

"You might have," Roxie replied. "But he don't remember." She clapped her hands once. "This business is starting to become a real family affair! We got your sister and Sam singing, Laura waitressing, and your dad doing repair work. I love it!"

"Well, what can _we_ do?" Joey asked.

Roxie thought a moment. "How would the two of you feel about parking cars?" She asked. "I think it might add some class to this place to have a valet service."

Diana and Joey looked at one another, nodded, and then looked back to Roxie. "All right," Joey said. "We'll do it."

"When do you want us to start?" Diana added.


	35. More Than You Bargained For

Seeing that Margot was still upset about being human and not being able to teach the baby witch stuff like she was gonna be able to with Savannah, Amy decided to try and cheer her sister up by throwing her a baby shower.

"She's been really down lately," Amy told Selina. "I think this might be just the thing to raise her spirits."

"Well, you said she was cursed, right?" Selina replied. "_Anyone _would need cheering up after that."

"I set it up for a week from now at the Double Sun hotel," Amy replied. "I'm gonna buy presents and decorations, of course. And I'll invite everyone else who I want to come, so all you have to do is show up. If you wanna come that is."

"Of course I wanna come!" Selina replied. "It sounds great! Now, are you _sure_ you don't want me to show up early and help you decorate?"

"No," Amy replied. "You're sweet, but I can handle that myself."

"All right," Selina replied. "See you in a week."

* * *

><p>"Amy's throwing a baby shower for her sister in a week and she invited me to come," Selina told Elijah as she made her way into his office.<p>

"Well, that's nice," Elijah replied without looking up from his paper. "I hope you have a good time."

"You _do_ realize that means you'll have to watch the kids while I'm gone," Selina replied, sitting on his desk. "Do you think you can handle it?"

"Well, of course I can!" Elijah replied. "Who can't handle a couple of children for two or three hours?"

"Well, all right," Selina nodded. "I was just checking. I didn't want you to feel like I was abandoning you to chaos."

"Thank you for that," Elijah replied. "But I think I can handle it."

"All right," Selina replied and went to talk to Tristan and Margaret. Tristan took the news about being watched by his father with ease, as Selina thought he would. It was _Margaret_ that she was more worried about.

"Can I have Henry come over when you're gone and Daddy is watching us?" Margaret asked her mother.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Selina replied. "Your daddy has trouble handling Henry."

"But I'll tell him to behave himself. Can Henry _please_ come, Mommy?" Margaret begged. "_Please_?"

"No!" Selina said firmly. "This is the first time your daddy is watching you by himself and it's gonna be hard enough for him without the added stress of Henry. If you want someone to amuse you, play with your father."

"But Henry is more fun," Margaret replied.

"Perhaps," Selina replied. "But that doesn't change my mind."

"All right," Margaret sighed with a pout. "No Henry."

"Good girl," Selina told her.

* * *

><p>But despite what she promised her mother, she let it slip to Henry at school about Selina being away from the house.<p>

"Daddy's gonna be watching me," Margaret told him. "Wanna come over and play?"

"Sure!" Henry replied. "When should I come?"

"I think Mommy said the party is on Saturday," Margaret replied. "Come then. And if Mommy isn't gone when you come, I'll tell you so you can leave and come back later."

"All right," Henry replied. "I can't wait."

* * *

><p>Finally, Saturday arrived and Henry appeared in Margaret's room at just the right time. "I'm here!" He announced loudly. "Do I have to leave, or can I stay?"<p>

Margaret put a hand over his mouth. "Mommy has gone, so you can stay, but stop yelling! Do you want Daddy to come in here and find you? We could get in big trouble!"

"Sorry," Henry replied, flushing a little. "I'll be quiet." He had to disappear just then because Elijah opened the door and poked his head in. "I heard voices in here. Is everything okay?"

"What do you _mean_ you heard voices, Daddy?" Margaret asked. "It's just me in here by myself." She paused. "Are you okay? Maybe you're getting sick. Or you could check Tristan's room for your mystery voices."

"No, I'm perfectly well, thank you, young lady," Elijah replied. "And your brother went to Emily's house, so he's not here."

"Oh," Margaret nodded. "Okay, Daddy. I'll be quiet so I don't bother you."

"Thank you," Elijah replied. "You have a good evening, dear. If you want to play a game or something, just let me know." He left, and once the door was closed, Henry appeared again. "So we have to stay in here all _night?" _He asked, looking irritated.

"Yes," Margaret replied. "Cause according to my mommy, you aren't supposed to be here."

"Heck with that," Henry replied, taking Margaret's hand and leading her out of her room to the living room where Elijah was watching TV. When he saw Henry, Elijah's jaw dropped, but he didn't have time to say many words before Henry had him tied up and gagged so that he was unable to move.

"Oh, my goodness!" Margaret exclaimed. She tried to go free her father, but he was tied too tight and she couldn't. "Sorry, Daddy!" She apologized and then went back to Henry, and they proceeded to play while he watched, making a big mess of the house.

Elijah waited for Selina to come back, but even after several hours, she still hadn't returned, and he ended up falling asleep while tied up, cursing Henry with every breath he took.

* * *

><p>"How was the baby shower?" Elijah asked the next morning, blocking Selina's way into the house. His suit was wrinkled and dirty and his hair was askew. He'd woken up mercifully untied and ungagged. After standing up, he'd looked all around the house, but there was no sign of Henry. Then, he'd heard the door open, and here he was.<p>

"It was fun," Selina replied. "A lot more fun than stuff like that usually is. That's why we extended it into an overnight thing. Sorry about that. I know it wasn't something you were prepared for." She paused. "Are you all right?"

"Well, good," Elijah replied. "And I'm fine." Selina tried to take a few steps forward, but he kept blocking the door. "Can I come in, please?" She asked. "What's the matter with you?"

Sighing, Elijah grudgingly let Selina in and when she saw the living room, she gasped.

"My god!" She cried. "There are toys everywhere!" She turned. "So you really _did _have trouble managing the kids."

"No, not necessarily," Elijah muttered. "Cause Margaret was the only one home. And then Henry showed up. It was hell, but I learned some valuable lessons for next time."

"Good," Selina replied, and went to talk to Margaret about being too hard on her father when it was just his first time babysitting overnight.

"I tried to untie him!" Margaret said earnestly. "Really! But he was tied too tight and I couldn't!"

"And did I, or did I not say that Henry couldn't come and play when it was just your father here with you?" Selina asked.

"You said I couldn't have Henry come over," Margaret replied.

"Exactly," Selina said. "And did you listen to me?"

"No," Margaret replied. "But I didn't know that Henry was gonna mess up the house when he came over!"

"But he _did_, though!" Selina replied. "And have you _seen_ what your poor father looks like because of what you and Henry did? He's a mess!"

"I know," Margaret said, starting to cry. "I'm sorry, Mommy. I'm sorry!"

"Well, that's not good enough!" Selina replied. "I want you to go apologize to your father, and then you're grounded for a week. No seeing Henry, no leaving your room unless it's for school. Do you understand? And if you defy me again, I'll have to think of a more severe punishment for you."

"Are you gonna spank me?" Margaret asked.

"No," Selina replied. "Cause that doesn't help anything. Now, stop crying and go apologize to your father, all right?"

"Yes, Mommy," Margaret replied with a sniff. She went to apologize to her father while Selina thought of how to make this whole mess up to Elijah.

* * *

><p>As Elijah got out of the shower and dried his hair, he heard the bedroom door open. He then turned and saw Selina clad head to toe in black leather. "Hey there, handsome," she said and came toward him, her hips swaying. "I heard you had a rough night last night. Want me to help make it better?"<p>

"Yes," Elijah replied, his jaw dropping a little. "Sure." She put her arms around him and began kissing his neck. "And how about we have fun in your car?" She asked. "I got the outfit for it and everything."

"But my car's kind of narrow in the back," Elijah replied, whispering against her ear. "I don't know if there'll be enough room."

"Oh, of course there will," Selina assured him with a grin. "I can bend _lots _of different ways."

Although he wanted so badly to refuse her, he couldn't help himself this time. "All right," he whispered. "But it will only be this once. My _god,_ you're beautiful!"

"Glad you think so," Selina replied. "That's what I was going for." She waited while he at least put pants on for her to remove, and then they sneaked out to the garage, and got in his car. As he had pointed out before, it was a tight fit, but once his pants were unzipped and all of her clothes were thrown in the trunk, it didn't seem to matter as much anymore. As they ran their hands over each other, and kissed each other deeply, the temperature in the car began to rise until the back window was fogged over. Then, they paused before Elijah slipped his tongue inside her and she began giggling loudly. After he pushed into her and she let out a shriek, he quickly put a hand over her mouth. "Don't yell so loud!" He admonished.

"Why not?" Selina asked with the grin. "You think the cops will come and arrest us or something? We're in our own garage."

"Right," Elijah replied, taking a deep breath. Selina pushed herself up on her elbows and kissed him again. "Relax," she told him, kissing his face and neck. "Just relax, and I'm gonna make everything better."

Elijah nodded wordlessly and lay his head on her bare stomach as she ran her fingers through his hair.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe I'm saying this," Edward said to Laura, "But I'm gonna need you to take Charlie to the bar with you. I can't watch him."<p>

"All right," Laura nodded. "No problem."

"Really?" Edward asked. "The idea of having our son in a bar doesn't horrify you?"

"No," Laura replied. "It's more of a family place than you think. So I'll take him to work with me, you do what you need to do, and everything will be fine."

"Good," Edward said and let out a breath. He hoped he sounded confident, because inside he didn't feel that way. It wasn't that he thought Laura was a bad mother, but for god's sake, she worked at a _bar_!

"Or, instead of taking him to work with me," Laura said dryly, "I could drop him off with my mom at the bakery."

"No, you don't have to do that," Edward said. "I'm fine with you taking him to the bar."

"No, you're not," Laura said flatly. "It's all over your face. You'd be terrible at poker."

Edward sighed. "I'm sorry, Laura. Really. I just don't feel comfortable with having him there."

"Even if I'm there too?" Laura asked.

"Even if you're there too," Edward nodded. "You can't watch him every second because you're working and he could fall and be hurt, or get kidnapped, or..."

"I would side with your arguments more if he was old enough to crawl," Laura replied. "Then he'd possibly stick his fingers in sockets or put things in his mouth and choke on them. But for heaven's sake, he can't even roll over yet! How much trouble could he possibly get into?"

"I don't want to think about it," Edward replied.

Laura rolled her eyes. "You win," she said. "I'll go set him up with my mother."

"I never said you had to," Edward told her.

"Oh, yes, you did," Laura replied. "I'm not stupid."

"I never said you were," Edward replied.

"Just go and do what you need to do," Laura snapped. "See you when I get home from work."

With a huff, she put Charlie in her car and drove him to the bakery, where she strode up to the counter, and her mother. "Hey, Mom," she said.

"Hi, Laura!" Selina replied, and then noticed her grandson. "And hello, little Charlie." She paused. "You want a muffin or something?"

"All right," Laura replied. "And I need an even _bigger_ favor from you, if it's possible, cause I know this is kind of short notice. Would it be possible for you to watch Charlie and work at the same time? I know you did it with us kids. Cause when I suggested to Edward that I was gonna take Charlie to work with me, he looked like I was proposing throwing our son in a tank of live piranhas, or throwing him to a pack of wolves or something. It's like the conversation we had with Daddy when I started working at the bar all over again."

Selina sighed and took Charlie and his stuff. "I know," she said. "But just remember that some day, Charlie will be a big boy and Edward won't have to worry anymore."

"Oh, I'm sure Edward will still worry," Laura replied. "Especially if Charlie decides to get tattoos. Edward found the fun little drawings I do on Charlie in washable marker every day and nearly had a coronary."

"You draw little pictures on Charlie?" Selina asked. "How interesting!"

"Yeah," Laura nodded. "He really seems to like it." She looked at her watch. "Oh, damn! I gotta go, or I'm gonna be late for work." She gave Charlie a kiss and was about to head out, when Selina put out her usual muffin and coffee. "Be sure to eat breakfast," she told Laura. "I'm sure Roxie won't penalize you for it."

"Thanks," Laura nodded. "I'll pick up Charlie later today. You're a real lifesaver, Mom."

"No need to thank me," Selina replied. "It's my pleasure."

* * *

><p>Laura's day at work was unremarkable until, to her surprise, Edward came in just before closing time. "Hi," he said, and sat down at the bar.<p>

"Well, hello," Laura replied. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing," Edward shook his head. "I didn't come to have a drink or whatever. I came to say 'I'm sorry'."

"You did?" Laura asked as she wiped down the bar. "Really?"

"Yes," Edward nodded. "I was a bit harsh this morning and I apologize."

"Thank you," Laura replied. "And remember this moment so we don't have the same argument over and over again. Cause you know I wouldn't let Charlie be hurt."

"I know you wouldn't on purpose," Edward agreed. "But things can happen."

"So could they if you were watching him," Laura pointed out. "We can be the most attentive people in the world and stuff could still happen. And if you spend all your time worrying, it'll just drive you crazy."

Edward nodded as she handed him an orange juice. "I'll try to remember that."

"Good," Laura replied. "Cause the older he gets, the worse shenanigans he'll be getting in to."

"Did you bring him here, or leave him with your mother?" Edward asked.

"I left him with Mom," Laura replied. "Wanna come with me and get him once you finish your juice?"

"Sure," Edward replied and gulped the juice down. "Let's go!"

* * *

><p>"I love this house," Addie told Sam. "I'm so glad we found it. When are we gonna have the housewarming party? Or at least let my dad come and visit?"<p>

"Any time you want," Sam replied. "I'd say we're pretty well set up here."

"Except for some of the stuff that needs to be repaired, but we'll get that done in time," Addie replied.

The house they'd picked was old, built in the early 1900s, just like the boardinghouse. It was run down in places, but otherwise nice. Despite the niceness, however, they'd gotten it for cheap.

"I just couldn't believe the price on this," Sam said. "It has to be worth ten times what we paid for it."

"Yeah," Addie nodded. "You think it's haunted or something?"

"I don't know," Sam replied. "But we'll see, won't we?"

They went inside and and looked around. Joshua appeared a few seconds later. "I've never seen such a rundown place," he commented.

"Sure you have," Sam replied. "The boardinghouse wasn't in tip top shape."

"True," Joshua admitted. "But it was really nice during my life time. It must've gone to seed afterward."

"You know," Sam told his brother, "there's a rumor going around that it's haunted. Can you tell if there are other ghosts here besides you?"

Joshua nodded and began walking around. "I don't see anyone else," he said when he came back. But then he paused. "Wait a minute!"

Then, Addie gasped. "Oh, my god!"

"What?" Sam asked. "What's going on, you two?"

"There _are_ ghosts!" Addie whispered as she clutched Sam's arm. "Lots of 'em!"

Then, Sam heard a female voice say in exasperation, "_Here _you are, Joshua! We've been looking for you forever."

"Yes, Father!" cried a young woman's voice. "What's taking you so long to come back to us?"

"The voices," Sam whispered to Addie. "Where are the voices coming from?"

"You can't see all the people?" Addie asked.

"No, I can't," Sam told her.

"How about all of you make yourselves visible?" Joshua suggested to his family. "I think we're scaring my brother a bit."

"You have a brother?" Asked one of his sons as the entire family appeared and Sam's eyes widened in shock. "How did that happen? I thought you said that Grandmother and Grandfather became vampires after you were born, and that meant they couldn't have any kids!"

"Well, that's what Jonathan Gilbert always told me, but apparently, he didn't know everything," Joshua said. Then, he turned to face Sam. "Brother, meet my family," he said. "This is my wife, Emma," A smiling brunette in a blue dress with a bustle did a small curtsey. "My sons, Joseph and Matthew," The boys nodded. "And my daughters, Gwen, and Sophia," a pair of young women smiled at him.

"Nice to meet you," they said.

"Yes, well," Sam said, trying to keep his nervousness at bay. "Nice to meet you all, too. Sorry for keeping my brother away for so long. He feels he needs to watch me, and I'm a bit of a problem. I know you've probably been waiting for him a long time."

"Well, we have," Emma replied. "But don't you go thinking you're hurting our feelings. We'll just move right in here and stay until Joshua is ready to let you go."

"Stay...in our house?" Addie choked out.

"Yes," Emma nodded. "That's not a problem, is it? We'll hardly be any trouble. Helpful spirits, not troublesome ones."

"I don't know," Sam replied and looked at Addie. "What do you think?"

"Well, we don't have a lot of choice, do we?" Addie replied. "I suppose that as long as they promise to be good ghosts and not scare the daylights out of us for fun, then it would be okay."

"Yeah," Sam replied, looking at Joshua. "It's all right for everyone to move in."

"Well, thank you," Joshua told Sam. "That's a real surprise, brother. Thank you."


	36. Bending The Rules

"I punished Margaret," Selina told Elijah. "She has to stay in her room unless she's at school. No TV or anything like that."

"Seriously?" Elijah asked in amazement. "You actually disciplined one of our children? And the punishment seems to be sticking. I haven't seen Margaret all day."

"Did you think that I wouldn't punish her?" Selina asked.

"I wasn't sure," Elijah replied. "I mean, after you let Gregory out to kill innocent people once he turned into a werewolf, I thought you were against punishment for anyone."

"A lot of the time, I will admit that I don't see logic behind punishing children, at least not in the same way you do," Selina replied. "But you and I, we're a team, and I love you, so if any of our kids do something to hurt you, you can bet they'll be punished."

"Wow," Elijah replied. "Honestly, I had no idea."

"Well, you should have," Selina replied, putting her arms around him. "Cause what kind of a marriage would we have if I valued the kids more than you, hmmm?"

"It wouldn't be a good one, that's for certain," Elijah replied. "I'm really proud of you."

"Thank you," Selina replied. Elijah then took her in his arms and kissed her.

"You know," he said, "Now that we know what you'll do to the kids if they make a misstep, I wonder what you'd do to me."

"You mean if you pissed me off?" Selina asked. "You know what I'd do. We've been through that scenario like, a million times."

"I know that," Elijah replied and came behind her, grabbing her around the waist. "But let's revisit it again, shall we? Now, close your eyes."

"All right," Selina replied. "But I don't know what this will accomplish."

"Well, first, you have to be quiet," Elijah replied and put a hand over her mouth. "Are your eyes closed?"

"Yes," Selina replied with a sigh.

"Good," Elijah replied. "Now, let's pretend that one day, you and I have a fight, and you make me so mad that I decide to leave home. A few days later, I send you a note. I've taken up with another woman. She's a tall, leggy blonde, beautiful, but not particularly intelligent, and she never leaves my room because I have her handcuffed to my bed every night. My god, she's so beautiful!" He let out a grunt as Selina, who'd been picturing his affair with this blonde in her mind, felt his erection behind her and elbowed him in the gut, knocking him to the floor, her eyes narrowed. "If you _ever_ think of running off with some tall, leggy, stupid blonde, I'm gonna be so pissed, who knows what I'll do."

"Is that so?" Elijah asked, getting up off the floor. "If you're so worried, maybe you should find some way to keep me here. Restrain me so I can't leave."

"You wouldn't do it," Selina replied. She was breathing hard now. "You're just trying to rile me up!" She pulled him to her and kissed him, pushing him up against the wall with one hand, and opening a drawer and pulling out a pair of handcuffs with the other. She cuffed him and pushed him toward the bed. Once he was lying there, he looked up at her with a smirk. "What will you do now, darling? What would you do to a big, bad man like me?"

Then, to Elijah's surprise, she bit down on his throat and licked the flowing blood up. In the beginning, it hurt, but then, he felt himself relax and revel in the pleasure of it. "Did that hurt?" She asked. But it was with a wicked grin in her eye.

"No," Elijah shook his head. "Do you really think you can hurt me?"

"I can," Selina replied, running her hands down him. "But because I'm nice, I choose not to."

Elijah chuckled. "You know that nice little leather number you had on in the car?" He asked.

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "What about it?"

"Go put it on, would you?" He asked. "I liked it."

"All right," she said and kissed him. "But it won't be on for very long, will it?"

"Not once I get these handcuffs off, no," Elijah replied.

"Good," Selina said with a wink and stripped down to her underwear. "Be right back."

"All right," Elijah called as she strode out shaking her bottom in a way that caused his pants to tighten uncomfortably. "I'll just wait right here."

* * *

><p>"Is this a cool car, or is this a cool car?" Joey asked Diana as they got into a red sports car to go park it. Whereas most of the cars they'd parked all day had been dirty trucks, or other cars that looked as if they were gonna fall apart any minute, this was shiny, red, and seemingly new.<p>

"Wow," Diana exclaimed once she got in the drivers' seat. "This could be the first car today that I feel safe getting inside." As they drove the car to the parking lot, Joey said, "You think the guy who gave you the key and went inside was the owner?"

"I don't know," Diana replied. "I don't think so. He didn't seem, you know, rich enough to own a car like this. Maybe the guy he works for owns it."

Joey smiled. "Not to knock the bar cause it's like my second home, but do you really think that someone rich enough to own a car like this would willingly come to a place like Enid's?"

"I don't know," Diana replied, stopping the car and parking it. "But I bet we can find out!" They got out of the car and headed back into the bar. "So you got it parked," Roxie grinned. "Good. I really think having a valet service was a good idea for this place."

"Who owns the red sports car Diana and I just parked?" Joey asked.

"I can't tell you," Roxie replied. "He doesn't want it getting out that he comes here. I don't know whether to be honored or insulted."

"So it's a guy," Diana said. "That's a start."

"Why do you even care?" Roxie asked Joey.

"I was just curious," Joey replied. "But here's the real issue: can I have a car like his? Or not?"

"No," Roxie replied. "If you're looking for a thrill, remember that you already have a motorcycle, and that would kill you a lot easier if you weren't careful."

"I know I have a bike," Joey replied. "But a bike's not a car. We have the money. I want a car."

"I don't think it's safe," Roxie replied.

Joey made a noise in his throat. "What are you talking about?" He asked. "You just said that bikes were less safe than cars! Make up your mind!"

"I have," Roxie told him. "You're not getting a car."

"But-" Joey said.

"No!" Roxie replied firmly. Joey's eyes narrowed as Diana tried to pull him away from the bar. "Come on," she said. "Let's go shoot some pool until we need to take the next car out, all right?"

Joey let her pull him to the game room and then he burst out laughing.

"What?" Diana asked. "What's so funny?"

"Just myself," Joey replied. _"Asking _my mother if I could have a car when I don't have to. I just remembered that I'm a warlock, so I can have anything I want!"

"So you're gonna zap yourself a sports car?" Diana asked. "Why can't you wait until you've saved up enough money?"

"Do you know how long that's gonna take with the amount I make?" Joey asked. "Nope, sorry. Not waiting when I don't have to. Tonight, when we're done here and go back to Jake's, I'm zapping myself a new car, and there's nothing my mother can do about it!"

* * *

><p>"I think we're in trouble," Roxie told Vince. "I made the mistake of having Joey and Diana park the cars for people, and now, since he parked the one that our anonymous visitor brought, he wants a sports car."<p>

"And what's wrong with that?" Vince asked as he got himself a cup of coffee. "Him having a sports car can't be much more dangerous than him having a bike."

"Well, what does he need a sports car for if he has a bike?" Roxie asked.

"I don't know," Vince replied. "But I don't see what the harm is if we teach him how to drive it first."

"But what if he gets hurt?" Roxie asked.

"Every time he goes out on his bike, he runs the risk of getting hurt," Vince pointed out. "This is no different. And it's nice to see you acting like a mother, but I think, whether you want to or not, it's time for us to step back and let Joey be on his own within reason. He's old enough, and we're letting Addie. Let's not be hypocrites, Roxie."

Roxie sighed. "All right," she said. "He can have his damn sports car, but if he hurts himself, he won't get any sympathy from me."

* * *

><p>"I got in trouble for what you did to my daddy, so thanks a lot, Henry!" Margaret said and socked him in the arm.<p>

"Your mommy yelled at you for that?" Henry asked. "But why? I was just having a little fun!"

"Well, thanks to you, I'm grounded and my mommy says that if I ignore the punishment, she'll punish me worse!" Margaret replied. "How can you live with yourself?"

"I didn't mean to get you in trouble," Henry told her. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry isn't gonna get me ungrounded, Mister!" Margaret said. "You're in BIG trouble."

"What should I do about it?" Henry asked.

"Nothing," Margaret replied. "You'll just make things worse."

As if to compound her bad mood, Emily and Tristan came up to them at that moment. "Why did Mom ground you?" Tristan asked his sister.

"None of your business!" Margaret snapped.

Emily rummaged around in the front pocket of her backpack and pulled out a sandwich bag of chocolate chip cookies, handing it to Margaret. "Have one," she suggested. "It'll make you feel better."

"All right," Margaret replied and took the bag, stuffing two or three cookies in her mouth at once.

"That's real attractive," Henry said.

And then Margaret said something that he took to be "Shut up", but it was muffled by all the cookie she had in her mouth, so he couldn't be sure. She then gave him a very definite glare and strode off, ignoring him for the rest of the day, not even acknowledging any apologies he tried to give her.

* * *

><p>When he got home, his feelings were very apparent.<p>

"What's the matter?" Lenora asked him, gesturing for him to come sit on her lap.

"Margaret is mad at me," he replied. "Cause I did something bad and she got in trouble for it."

"Well, what did you do?" Lenora asked.

"Remember this weekend when you thought I was in my room and didn't want to come out?" Henry asked.

"Yeah," Lenora nodded. "What about it?"

"I wasn't in my room," Henry admitted. "I was at Margaret's. Grandma was out of town and Uncle Elijah was watching her, so she invited me to come play, even though Grandma said 'no'. I thought Uncle Elijah wouldn't let us have any fun, so I sorta...used my magic to tie him up. Then he wouldn't get in the way while we played."

Lenora's eyes widened. "Henry Alistair O'Connell, what I have I told you about using your magic to hurt people?"

"That I shouldn't do it," Henry replied. "But I didn't hurt him at all. I just made him a bit rumpled."

"Even so," Lenora replied. "No using your magic that way."

"I bet Daddy wouldn't care about what I did!" Henry said. "I'm gonna go ask him!" He ran off, and Lenora, sighing, went after him.

"Daddy?" Henry asked when he found James sitting peacefully on the boat. "I used my magic to tie up Uncle Elijah so I could play with Margaret, but it didn't hurt him. Am I in trouble?"

James was about to say 'No', but then he noticed Lenora standing behind Henry, looking livid. "Does your mother know about this?" He asked Henry. "What did she say?"

"She says I'm in trouble," Henry replied bitterly. "When I didn't even do anything."

"Well, if your mother says you're in trouble, then you're in trouble," James replied. "If you came to me hoping I would give you a better answer, it's not gonna happen."

"Fine!" Henry replied, throwing up his hands. "But you were a pirate! You're supposed to let me get away with stuff like that cause you did!"

"But I was wrong," James called as Henry stomped off angrily. Then, he sighed and turned to Lenora. "What are we going to do with that boy?" He asked.

"I don't know," Lenora said and kissed him. "But thanks for backing me up. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome," James replied with a grin. "Now, we'll let him stew for a bit, then I'll go talk to him. What do you say?"

"I say I think it's a good idea," Lenora replied. "But what do you want to do in the meantime?"

"Well," James replied, raising an eyebrow. "The boat's free, and it's been some time since you've made a visit to the captain's quarters. What do you say?"

"All aboard," Lenora nodded as he picked her up and carried her onto the boat, then shut the cabin door behind them, undressed each other, and made wild love in the bed.


	37. Faith And Trust

"I have to say that I'm skeptical about my brother Kol becoming a parent," Elijah told Selina. "He's never been particularly responsible for his own life. Imagine what he'd do to a child."

"Well, not everyone is tailor made to be a parent, but sometimes, people surprise us. I mean, think about Roxanne," Selina replied. "Joey and Addie have come out reasonably well after being parented by her."

Elijah scoffed. "Kol makes Roxanne look like an angel. I just don't see him being able to put the welfare of his child over his own. We'll probably have to end up taking care of it."

"You shouldn't be bothered by that," Selina replied. "You've been wanting another baby for years, and there one would be for you."

"I wouldn't want one that way," Elijah replied.

Just then, the doorbell rang and Elijah went to answer it, shocked to see Kol looking frazzled on the other side. "Can I come in?" He asked.

"Of course," Elijah replied. "Please do."

Kol headed to Elijah's chair and Selina said warningly, "Don't sit there. That's Elijah's special chair."

"All right," Kol replied and sat down on the sofa. "I need to talk to you," he told Elijah.

"About what?" Elijah asked. "Your child? Have you and that girl you got pregnant decided that you don't want her anymore, so you want to give her to us?"

"No," Kol replied. "We're gonna keep her. But because of a bizarre series of events that are somewhat my fault, Margot is human now, and according to her doctor, giving birth to my baby will kill her. She wants me to turn her, and I'm terrified."

"Real-really?" Elijah asked, surprised that his party boy younger brother seemed genuinely concerned for the life of his girlfriend. "And what about the baby? Are you frightened for your child too, or just its mother?"

"Don't grill him like that!" Selina scolded Elijah as she came to sit next to Kol and take his hand. "Can't you see he's freaked out enough already, and doesn't need to be scolded?"

"Thank you," Kol told her, and then looked his brother in the eye. "And for your information," he said, "Yes. I am scared as hell for my daughter. I was the one who wanted her more to start with. Margot was gonna end the pregnancy without telling me about it cause she thought I wouldn't like it, but she was wrong."

"Oh, my god," Elijah replied. "You're really serious."

"Yes," Kol replied. "I am. So since you consider yourself a fountain of wisdom, what do you suggest I do?"

"Well, first, I apologize for being so suspect of your feelings," Elijah said. "And if you love this woman and want to keep her around when her doctor is very certain she's going to die, I think turning her into a vampire is the only option." He paused. "You know, I never thought I'd see you fighting so hard for the life of a human."

"She wasn't always a human," Kol told Elijah. "When I met her, she was a witch. It was being in a relationship with me that got her cursed so she ended up losing her powers just as she got pregnant."

"Why would being with you curse her?" Elijah asked.

"None of your business is why," Kol replied, not wanting to hear Elijah give him a lecture about his less than kind treatment of Mathilde, and what that led to. He knew that already.

"Do you have plans for when your baby is born?" Selina asked. "Cause I can call Alistair and Astrid for you. They're really good at this sort of thing."

"Thanks," Kol replied. "But Margot already has a doctor and he's gonna deliver our baby."

"Oh?" Elijah asked. "And just who _is_ this doctor?"

"Doctor Putnam," Kol replied. "He's a warlock at a witch hospital."

"Are you sure it's the best idea to have a vampire baby be delivered at witch hospital?" Elijah asked.

"If it were your baby, or the baby of any of our other siblings, yes, delivery at a witch hospital would be a bad idea," Kol replied. "But I have good enough standing in the witch community that Doctor Putnam is gonna deliver our baby there despite the fact that I'm not a warlock. Or at home, if there's no time to _get_ to a hospital because Margot is having complications."

"You're very brave for granting her wish to have the baby and then turning her," Selina told him.

"Yeah," Kol nodded. "When she dies, even though I know it won't be forever, it's gonna be so hard."

They sat in silence and Elijah said, "If you want me to be there with you, you know, for moral support, just say the word and I'll come."

"Thanks," Kol replied. "I might have to take you up on that." He gave a sad smile. "Now you know why I've spent so much of my life trying to live as shallowly as possible: cause when you care about people, it hurts."

"Or it can be the best thing in the world if you find it in yourself to get through the bad parts," Selina replied.

"Was that hard for you?" Kol asked her. "Getting through the bad parts?"

"Yeah," Selina replied, leaning against Elijah. "The most difficult period of my life, probably. But even though it took awhile, I found someone I trusted and just finally let the feelings in. Best decision I ever made."

"Well, if you can do it, Lonely Heart," Kol told her. "I think I'll at least give it a try."

"Feeling better?" Elijah asked.

"Yeah," Kol replied with a grin. "Some, anyway."

"Good," Elijah replied. "And remember, if you want us to be there when Margot goes into labor, just give us a call."

"All right," Kol replied. "It won't be for awhile yet, but a few months from now, wait by the phone."

"Don't worry, brother," Elijah said. "We will."

* * *

><p>"I was surprised to get your call," Gregory told Edward when he came in his house, with Elizabeth toddling behind him, her small hand in his bigger one. "And curious. What is it that I can do for you?"<p>

"Well, you could definitely be of help to me," Edward told his brother-in-law. "Does Katherine have any strange things that she does with Elizabeth? You know, things that aren't exactly the best things to do for a child?"

"Well," Gregory cleared his throat and thought for a moment. "One day, I left her and Elizabeth alone and came home later to find that she had allowed Elizabeth to wear makeup even though she's just a baby. It was a complete and utter mess. Why? What has my sister done?"

"Well," Edward sighed. "It's a small thing, and it's not _really_ putting Charlie in any sort of danger, but...she enjoys giving him tattoos on his body. Yes, they go away in water, but still..." He gave a small shudder.

"Well, I hate to tell you this," Gregory replied. "But I don't think you'll be able to change Laura's mind about this. You've already told her that it bothers you, correct?"

"Yes," Edward sighed. "And she pointed out that as long as it doesn't hurt him, she doesn't see why I'm so concerned. She says it makes me _snooty _to be so critical. Can you believe that? Snooty! Me!"

"Coming from my sister?" Gregory replied. "Yes, I can."

"What are we talking about?" Laura asked as she came in with Charlie. "Are you really stooping so low as to complain to my brother about me?" She asked Edward and rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't complaining," Edward replied. "I was illustrating the differences in our parenting styles."

"And you still think yours is better despite the fact that he's not died or anything like that under my supervision," Laura said.

"Hi, baby," Elizabeth said, leaving her father's side and coming to stare at Charlie. Charlie gurgled and smiled at her.

"I think he missed you," Laura told Elizabeth. "Want to come to his room with me and help me play with him?"

Elizabeth nodded and followed her out of the room while Laura said over her shoulder to Edward and Gregory, "You two can continue complaining about me now."

Once she was gone, Edward ran his fingers through his hair and said, "Well, now I feel terrible." He paused. "I know I need to back off worrying, but part of me just can't!"

Gregory nodded sympathetically. "I feel the same way with Katherine," he said. "Some of the things she lets Elizabeth get into are sort of alarming. I mean, when we adopted her, I expected to be the one to do most of Elizabeth's care because Katherine wasn't the motherly type. But she's risen to the occasion, and some days I wonder if it's a good thing or a bad thing."

"Well, whatever Katherine does with her, it doesn't seem to have affected her too negatively," Edward said. "Not if Charlie has taken such a liking to her."

"Do you think we should just, you know, relax?" Gregory asked Edward. "Or at the very least. try?"

"I think so," Edward nodded. "But it'll be difficult. I see Charlie with marker all over him and even though I know it'll come off, I just..."

"Keep telling yourself that it'll come off," Gregory suggested. "Whenever you see the stuff Laura draws, just take a deep breath and tell yourself that it washes off."

"Okay," Edward nodded. "I don't know what sort of sage advice to give you about Katherine, though."

"I don't need advice any more," Gregory replied. "I just tell myself that even with Katherine's influence, Elizabeth still seems to be growing up well, so that's what I hold on to every time she does something nutty. It actually helps a lot."

"Well, good," Edward replied. "I'll try and think of the same thing about Charlie when it comes to Laura. Thanks a lot."

And Gregory grinned. "You're welcome," he replied. "If my father could depend on my mother to help him raise six kids in her own unique style, then I think we can."

"Good point," Edward nodded. "Good point."

* * *

><p>Margaret frowned as she lugged the bag of valentines out of her locker. "What's wrong with you?" Henry asked.<p>

"I don't _want_ to give everyone in class valentines!" She grouched. "I don't even _like_ a lot of them! The only people who deserve valentines from me are you, Tristan, and Emily. Everyone else, no."

"You'd give a valentine to Emily?" Henry asked in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah," Margaret nodded. "But only because Tristan would probably tell on me to Mommy if I didn't."

"Well, good for you," Henry replied and hid his hand behind his locker before magically producing a flower, which he gave to Margaret. "There's your valentine from me," he said.

"Thank you," Margaret replied. "I thought only grown ups gave each other flowers."

"If you don't want it, I can take it back," Henry replied, reaching.

"No!" Margaret shook her head and held her arm away. "I want it. Didn't you hear me say 'Thank you'?" She paused and then rummaged around in her locker before pulling out a card that said "Happy Valentine's day, Henry," on it. "It's no flower," She said shyly. "But do you _like _it?" She came to stand next to him. "See? I made a boat on it, and you and me are in the boat."

"I see!" Henry said. "This is the best out of all my valentines." Just then, another little girl in their class who'd taken a liking to Henry came up to him and handed him a card. "This is for you," she said. "I want you to have it before everyone else gets theirs."

"Well, thank you," Henry replied, sort of flustered, trying to hold Margaret back from so much as breathing on the girl.

"You're welcome," she said and walked away.

"What was that?" Margaret asked. "Why did she give you that?"

"Everyone has to get one from everyone," Henry replied. "That's all it is."

"No, it's not!" Margaret said insistently. "She _likes _you!" She snatched the little girl's valentine out of Henry's hand, ripped it up, stomped on it, and spit on the pieces. "There," she said. "Now I feel better."

Henry sighed. He was used to her doing stuff like that by now, and he'd learned not to make too big a deal out of it. "Are you done?" He asked.

"Yes," Margaret nodded, and then looked at the clock. "We should get to class now!"

"All right," Henry replied, and grabbed his valentines. "Do you want me to carry yours?" He asked her.

"Yes, pleas and thank you," Margaret replied. They walked into class together, and then once they were seated, their teacher came to the head of the room. "All right," she said. "As you all know, it's Valentine's day, and if you brought valentines, you may hand them out now. However, you won't be allowed to look at your valentines until the party at the end of the day. Now, let the valentine-giving commence!"

Everyone in the class stood up from their chairs and began putting valentines in the little boxes they'd made the day before specifically for that purpose. Worried that Margaret would destroy all his valentines like she had with the first one, Henry put a spell on his box once all his valentines were in it so that he was the only one who could open it again, and when Margaret noticed this, she showed her displeasure at recess.

"You didn't have to magic your box shut, Henry," she told him, irritated.

"Yes, I did," Henry replied. "So you wouldn't ruin the other valentines like you did the first one."

"I would _not!" _Margaret replied.

"Yes, you would," Henry replied. "Don't even lie."

"I wonder what Emily's valentine for you says," Margaret mused.

"Why?" Henry asked. "You think she's gonna give me a valentine that deserves to be squished and spat on too?"

"No!" Margaret shook her head. "I was just wondering what it says." She paused. "And I'm sorry I squished your valentine and ripped it into pieces and stuff. That wasn't nice of me."

"No, it wasn't," Henry said firmly.

"But you still like mine, right?" Margaret asked.

"Well, yes!" Henry nodded. "I _told_ you that! It's the best one!"

"Okay," Margaret nodded. "I won't squish any more of your valentines."

Henry didn't believe her at first, but when it came time for the party, she stayed away from his box of cards, and let him read them without bothering him about it, so he decided to get her a cupcake from the treat table as a reward.

"Thank you for the cupcake," she said when he brought it to her. "What's it for?"

"Cause you were nice about the letters like you said, and it's what my mommy does with my daddy," Henry told her. "Encourages him when he does good things. I want to do that for you."

"All right," Margaret replied and gave him a hug. "I'll try and be good, then."


	38. One Push Too Far

Laura and Katherine looked at each other awkwardly as Charlie and Elizabeth chased each other around the park.

"Look," Laura said finally to Katherine. "I don't like you, and I don't think I ever will, but since our kids seem to like each other, we should at least find a way to be civil to one another."

"Did you hear me say a single bad thing to you?" Katherine asked. "What happened to 'If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all'?"

"You're right," Laura replied. "Sorry."

At that point, Charlie fell down and burst into tears. As Laura ran toward him, Elizabeth helped him up and kissed his boo-boo. He seemed fine after that and Laura went back to the bench and she and Katherine continued to sit in awkward silence watching their children play.

Eventually, it mercifully ended with Laura taking Charlie home and Katherine taking Elizabeth home. Neither woman said goodbye to the other.

"Can I go to the park with Charlie again soon, Mommy?" Elizabeth asked her mother when they'd settled themselves in the car.

"I don't know," Katherine replied. "I find these trips a little tiring."

"Why?" Elizabeth asked.

"Cause your Aunt Laura doesn't like me," Katherine replied.

"Why?" Elizabeth asked.

"I don't know," Katherine replied. "Maybe your grandmother would, though."

"Why?" Elizabeth asked.

"Stop asking me that!" Katherine yelled and hit the horn. Elizabeth didn't cry, but she looked shocked.

Katherine sighed and started the car, not saying another word until she and Elizabeth got home, and mercifully, Elizabeth did the same.

* * *

><p>"We're back!" Katherine announced, opening the front door and letting Elizabeth run in ahead of her.<p>

"There you are!" Gregory said as Elizabeth ran at him and he picked her up. "How was your time in the park with Aunt Laura and Charlie, Elizabeth?"

"Charlie fell down and got a boo-boo," Elizabeth told her father. "I kissed it better."

"Did you?" Gregory asked. "That's so nice of you." Elizabeth nodded and yawned, leaning her head against Gregory's shoulder and shutting her eyes. her long dark hair cascading over her face. "I'm sleepy."

"Well, let's just settle you down for a nap, then," Gregory replied. He did that and came back to Katherine. "You look absolutely exhausted," he noted. "Did something bad happen? Was Laura mean to you?"

Katherine shook her head. "Not any more than usual," she replied. "It's nothing I can't handle."

"Are you sure?" Gregory pressed. "It was very sweet of you to take Elizabeth to play with Charlie, even though I know it's not your cup of tea, spending all that time with my sister."

"It's all right," Katherine replied. Then, her worn out look changed to a grin. "I knew I'd be well-compensated for my good deed by her brother afterward."

Gregory nodded and they walked to their room and stripped down to their underwear with Gregory standing against the wall. "I know you're angry about my sister," he said. "I know there's a lot of frustration held in for Elizabeth's sake, so..." He opened his arms, exposing his chest and stomach. "Take it out on me."

"I'm fine," Katherine replied. "Really. Let's just get in bed."

"I don't believe you," Gregory pressed. "If you hold it all in, you're gonna take it out on some innocent person and it won't end well, so take your anger out on me instead."

With a grunt, Katherine gave him a shove. "I told you," she said through her teeth. "I'm fine." But despite that, she began aiming punches at his gut, which had no real affect on him whatsoever, but it helped her. She gave him a slap across the face, and pulled him into a kiss where she bit his lip and then licked up the blood. He was breathing hard now. "Feeling better?" He whispered, breathing hard.

"For now," she nodded. He then carried her to the bed and dumped her on it, climbing in after her and removing her bra and her panties, before slipping his boxers off and pulling the blankets over both of them as he ran his fingers down her body, kissed the inside of her thighs, and finally, pushed into her as she let out a yell, pulled his hair as she threaded it through her fingers, and scratched his back, her nails leaving long, slightly bloody cuts in his sweating back. She then pulled his face down to kiss her. He then rolled beside her, smiled, and pushed her hair out of her eyes.

"Do you need nap time like our daughter, Katerina?" He asked.

"Maybe just a little," Katherine replied, her eyes shutting behind her curtain of dark hair just like her daughter. Once her breathing steaded, Gregory moved her hair out of her face, kissed her forehead, and settled down to rest himself.

* * *

><p>"I don't know about this," Henry said as Margaret stood beside a bike. "It doesn't look safe. Are you sure people ride those?"<p>

"Yes!" Margaret nodded. "Now stop being a chicken and come get on!" She gestured at another bike nearby.

"What if I fall off and hurt my head?" Henry asked.

"That is what this helmet is for," Margaret replied. "And my mom is going to help you too. She'll come out once you decide to get on the darn thing."

"I'll just use my powers to get this thing running," Henry mumbled. "I won't fall off that way."

"You said you weren't gonna use your powers when we did this," Margaret said. "You promised."

"Right, right," Henry sighed. He put the helmet on and then Margaret went to go get Selina so she could help him onto his bike. Then, she showed him her own bike. "I'll be next to you," she said. "Don't worry. After you do this, you'll be like the other ten year old boys." Then, she went to go get her mother.

"All right," Selina said when she and Margaret appeared again a few minutes later. "Need me to help you get your helmet on, Henry?"

"He's still nervous about being on it cause I won't let him use his powers," Margaret replied.

"Why not?" Selina asked. "At least in the beginning, I mean. If it makes him feel comfortable, I think he should, at least until he gets a hang of it."

"Thank you," Henry told her. She helped him get his helmet on and then he got on the bike, making it start with a swish of his hand. It started to go and his eyes widened as it sped up and he realized he was no longer in control of it. "Help me!" He cried. "Make it stop!" Selina ran after him while Margaret shouted, "Put on the brakes! Put on the brakes!" While she pedaled furiously to try and catch up with him.

"I don't know where they are!" Henry called back, and then took a tumble on Selina and Elijah's neighbor's driveway. Then, the bike fell on top of him, and Selina tripped over the bike and fell on top of it.

"Shit, are you all right?" She asked Henry when she got to her feet and picked the bike up. "I'm really sorry. How hurt are you?"

Henry got to his feet and dusted himself off. "Just some bruises," he said. Then he noticed that the nail of one of his little fingers had completely come off. "I broke a nail, too," he said.

"Why did you hurt Henry, Mom?" Margaret asked her mother.

"I didn't mean to," Selina replied. "I tripped and fell."

"But it hurts so _much_!" Henry wailed, his eye on Margaret. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!"

"What hurts?" Margaret asked.

"My-my finger," Henry said. "And my head. Would you kiss it and make it better?" He asked the favor as if they were still five years old.

"All right," First, Margaret kissed Henry's finger, then his head, and she gave her mother a dirty look as she led him back into the house. "So, do we want to try this again tomorrow?" Selina called after the pair of them as she brought the bikes into the garage and rested them against the trash can. When there was no response, she sighed. "I guess not," she said to herself.

* * *

><p>"I know that you probably won't want to hear this," Elijah said one day after he and Selina returned from Kol and Margot's. "But I think it's time you and I-"<p>

"Had another baby?" Selina finished knowingly.

"Yes!" Elijah replied. "How did you know that's what I was going to say?"

"Well, we were just at Kol and Margot's and you could not leave Regina's side," Selina replied. "It wasn't the biggest leap to make."

"Who would have thought that a child raised by my brother could be so charming?" Elijah asked. "Other than a slight preoccupation with her looks, she's turned out very well."

"Lots of little girls especially are obsessed with how they look at that age. Laura was."

"She was?" Elijah asked. "I wouldn't know. I wasn't there, remember?"

"Don't bite my head off," Selina replied, putting her hands up. "It was your father that daggered you for six years, not me."

"So, when are we gonna have another baby?" Elijah asked.

"Eventually," Selina replied, which made Elijah let out an impatient noise. "But I want a baby now!" He exclaimed.

"Fine," Selina replied. "Then give birth to it yourself."

Elijah rolled his eyes, and stormed off to his office, slamming the door loud enough for Selina to hear. "What a dork," she whispered to herself.

She didn't see him the rest of the day, and when she was alone in bed reading that night, she started a little when he came in.

"Ready for bed?" She asked and grinned at him, waiting for him to undress. But instead of undressing, he began pulling clothes out of the dresser and grabbing some other items and putting them in a sack.

"Where are you going?" Selina asked. "Is everything all right?"

"I've decided that I'm moving into the spare bedroom," Elijah replied.

"Why?" Selina asked. Then, it hit her and she gave him a look. "Is this because I don't want to have a baby yet?" She asked.

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "And I want to respect your decision, so I'm going to be in a room of my own where you won't be a distraction to me."

"_Excuse_ me?" Selina said, getting out of bed. "That's really not necessary. Just because I said I don't feel like having kids yet doesn't mean I'm kicking you out."

"I know that," Elijah nodded. "But I really think it's the best for both of us. Good night, dear."

"Good night," Selina replied, her mouth twisting. He left and she slammed the door behind him. Really, sometimes he was the most exasperating man. Or rather, man-_child._

* * *

><p>The next morning, Selina gasped as she woke up to see Elijah stripping down in front of her. "If you came in here to try and manipulate me..." she began.<p>

"No, of course I wouldn't," Elijah replied, kicking his pajama pants aside. "I simply came in to use the shower, because, if you will recall, the spare room doesn't have a bathroom attached to it."

"Well, you could have gone into the bathroom and changed," Selina said, covering herself up.

"Why?" Elijah asked. "Has it come to the point where the sight of my body repulses you?" He stood directly in at the foot of the bed in all his glory.

"No, no, stop!" Selina cried, her face buried in her pillow. "Take your shower and just go away!"

Elijah chucked and then came to run his fingers through her tangled hair. "As you wish, my love," he whispered, then leaned down to nibble a little on her exposed ear. She didn't look up again until she heard the bathroom door slam and the shower water turn on. Then she sat up. "What the fuck?" She whispered to herself. She had to figure out a counterattack to Elijah's scheme. Because if she didn't plan a good defense, this would be a _very_ difficult period of time for her.


	39. If It Makes You Happy

"So, how was the park?" Edward asked. They were in Laura's practice salon. He'd been trying to get Laura to talk about it ever since she'd returned, but she'd refused. Finally, she turned to face him. "It was not fun, okay? I don't like spending time with that woman, even if Charlie is, for some reason, attached to her kid."

"So you're saying that next time_ I _should be the one to take Charlie to the park when he wants a playdate with Elizabeth?" Edward asked. "Because I will."

Laura sighed. "You don't have to," she said. "I'll do it."

"I think you need some cheering up," Edward replied. "What can I do to help with that?" He began to undo his pants, but Laura said, "No, no! I have something else in mind," and then, with a wicked grin, began running her fingers through his dark hair, which had grown out cause she refused to let him go get it cut by someone else. "You know, Edward, you really _do _have beautiful hair."

"Thanks," Edward replied.

"What do you say I cut it?" Laura asked, and then opened and closed a pair of scissors. "Why don't you ever let me? Are you scared? You told me that once I was licensed, I could, and now I am."

"All right," Edward replied. "If it'll make you feel better."

"Thanks for the enthusiasm," Laura said dryly as she began to cut his hair. Just then, Charlie came running in. "My turn, my turn!" He said.

"In just a minute," Laura replied. "After I'm done with your daddy, Charlie."

"Okay," Charlie replied and climbed onto a chair to wait.

"Actually, if he wants to, he can have his turn," Edward replied.

"No, I'm not done with you yet," Laura replied. "Will you please just sit?"

"All right," Edward replied and sat. When she was done, Laura handed him a mirror. "See?" She said proudly. "I didn't even cut that much off. You can barely tell I did anything."

"True," Edward replied. "You did good work."

"Thank you," Laura replied. "And don't sound so surprised."

Edward gave her a hug and a kiss and got off the chair, while Charlie ran to replace him.

"My turn," he said with a grin. He was her canvas to experiment on and he really seemed to enjoy it.

"What should we do with you today, buddy?" Laura asked, running her fingers through his dark hair as she had with his father.

"I don't know," Charlie replied with a shrug.

"I know!" Laura said. "You want blue hair, Charlie?"

"Yes!" Charlie nodded. "Blue hair!"

"Oh, god help us," Edward replied.

Laura giggled once he was gone. "Your daddy is jealous that he won't look cool like you," she told Charlie. Then, she went to get the coloring for Charlie's hair as the eager boy waited, staring at himself in the mirror.

* * *

><p>Selina was dressing to go to the bakery when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. Sighing, she went and stood next to it. "Who is it?" She called.<p>

"It's me!" Elijah called. "I left my razor in there and I need to come in and get it. Are you decent?"

"I think the question," Selina said as Elijah opened the door without a response and Selina put her weight against it to try and keep it closed, "is, are *you* decent, Elijah!" Finally, he got the door open and she went tumbling face first on the carpet. When she looked up, he was standing above her, shirtless, barefoot, and, (god help her) scruffy.

She struggled to her feet. "I'm sorry I had to knock you down," he said. "But it was so hard to get the door open. Now, my razor?"

"I-I don't think you need it," Selina said, backing away. "You look fine just the way you are."

Her breathing intensified as he approached her, pushed her against the wall, and kissed her, hard. When he pulled away, she was looking at him, wide-eyed. "Oh, my god," she breathed and pulled him to her again. He grinned. "I thought you had to go to the bakery."

"Well, it's not an _emergency_," Selina replied. "I bet they could wait half an hour for me. I have a very capable staff."

"No," Elijah grinned and backed away. "I don't want to keep you from work. You should go."

"No, I'm not going yet!" Selina replied firmly. "You can't just come in here looking like that and then leave."

"So does this mean you're changing your stance on our...family planning issue?" Elijah asked hopefully.

"No," Selina replied. "I still want to wait until the triplets are out of the house to get pregnant again. Now I just wanna have sex since you're looking so scruffy and hot."

Elijah sighed and took her to bed, but kept it as brief as possible before urging Selina to get dressed and go on her way to work. When she'd pulled out of the driveway, he sat in his chair and pondered what to do about the baby issue. He wanted one. He wanted on_ really _bad and he didn't understand why Selina wanted to wait. Even though the triplets were still at home, they were old enough not to need constant care, so she could give full attention to a new child, just as easily as he could. There was no logical reason for her to object, other than to make him unhappy. He got up and went to go to the bathroom, and after he was done, he opened the medicine cabinet and noticed that her birth control pills were easily reachable. As he took them out and looked at them, a wicked idea came into his mind. While pills normally were packaged so that each pill was in its own space, hers were all jumbled together in a regular medicine bottle. Putting the bottle in his pocket, he went to the store and bought some sugar pills and after emptying the bottle of the birth control down the sink, he filled it with the sugar pills and stuck it back in the cabinet. It was wicked, he knew, but it was the only way he'd get what he wanted. Then, he grabbed his razor, and gave himself a quick shave.

* * *

><p>"So, what do you think?" Joey asked as he drove up to the house in his new car. He'd crashed the last one and promised Diana he'd be more careful this time.<p>

"I don't know," Diana replied. "Are you gonna end the life of this one in a pile of twisted metal?"

"No," Joey replied. "I promised you I'd be more careful."

"But you've had to zap yourself nine cars over the past three years," Diana said. "I know you want to be independent and feel like you have a free spirit and stuff, but you could die if you keep things up like this!"

"All right," Joey replied. "I'll slow things down, and this will be the last car I ever zap up, if that'll make you happy."

"It would," Diana replied, getting in the car beside him. "And it'll make your mom happy too."

"Now," Joey said with a grin. "Wanna go for a drive?"

"It depends," Diana replied. "Will it kill me?"

"No, I'll be careful," Joey replied. He started the car, and then drove Diana without incident to a burger joint, the car wash, and to get something she needed at the mall. Then, when she returned from this third errand, he grinned. "Now, I have something else to show you," he said. "Something much more fun."

"All right," Diana replied. "What is it?"

"You'll see," Joey replied with a grin and drove her to the edge of town, stopping by a dirt track where several other young men were showing up in cars.

"Oh, my god," Diana replied as she got out of the car and watched some of the guys race around the track. "There's a racetrack here"

"Just a _little_ race track," Joey replied. "A place for speed demons like me to let off steam."

Then, one of the young men spotted them and came over. "Joe!" He said, coming to grab Joey's arm. "How are you? And did you bring your girl like you said you would?"

"Yes, Jase," Joey replied, gesturing. "This is Diana."

"Hey," Jase replied, smiling at her and brushing some of his strawberry blond hair out of his eyes. "Welcome to the track."

"I had no idea something like this was here," Diana replied in amazement.

"Well, it's a tad bit illegal, so you promise you won't tell anyone?" Jase asked.

"Yeah, sure," Diana replied. "Actually, I have brothers who do this, but I had no idea there was a track down here."

"It's our little secret," Jase replied. Joey and some of the others did a few laps around the track, and then Joey came back and handed his keys to Diana. "You wanna have a go?" He asked her.

"Sure," she nodded and took the keys. She then looped around the track a few times, feeling absolutely powerful, more than she ever had her whole life. Then, she gave Joey the keys and they headed back to Jake's. He and Sherry were both gone, so they had the house to themselves.

"That's some rush, driving that fast," Diana said, sitting down at the table. "Really gets the blood going, doesn't it?"

"Yes," Joey replied. "It-it does." Then, to Diana's surprise, he pulled her to her feet and kissed her. But the kiss didn't end right away like his kisses usually did, and instead, he began walking her in the direction of the living room, while he tried to undo the buttons on her shirt. Finally, they reached the living room, and his leg collapsed, sending them both tumbling to the floor. It didn't spoil the mood, though, and soon, they were having sex on the carpet.

When it was all over, Joey looked at Diana and took a deep breath. "Are you okay?" She asked with a grin. "How's your leg?"

"My leg is fine," Joey replied. "And that was...that was good!" He paused, flushing a little. "Well, for me, anyway. I won't speak for you."

"Oh, don't worry," Diana replied and gave him a kiss. "It was good for me too. When can we do it again?"


	40. Someone Who Needs Me

The next morning, Selina got up to take her pill as usual, but something was wrong. They didn't look like her pills at all. "Huh," she said and put them back, shutting the medicine cabinet door and making a note to go out and get more. Cause whatever was in the bottle was NOT her birth control. She turned and gasped as she saw Elijah come into the bathroom. "Good morning!" She greeted him.

"Good morning," he replied, taking her in his arms. "What do you say you stay home today and we spend all the time in bed?"

"You know, I can't," Selina said, stepping back. "I have errands to run, and a cake I need to make for a party, so I really can't afford to skip work."

"What about tomorrow?" Elijah asked.

Selina thought a moment. "Sure," she said. "I'll stay home tomorrow. It'll be great!"

"I agree," Elijah replied as she stripped and got into the shower. It was a pain to wait a day to put his plan into action, but he supposed it wouldn't hurt him too much.

But the next morning, of course, he was ready, willing, and eager. "Good morning," he said, rolling over to face her.

"Good morning," Selina replied with a grin and scooted herself over to kiss him before getting out of bed and going to the bathroom to take one of the pills from the replacement bottle she'd gotten the day before. It _was_ impressive how much the sugar pills looked like her normal pills, though, and that was good. Elijah wouldn't know that she'd bought a new bottle until the exact minute she wanted him to.

She returned a few minutes later and got dressed as Elijah groaned. "You said you weren't going to work today!" He groaned.

"I'm not," Selina replied. "But the kids have to get to school somehow. I promise though that when I return, I'm all yours."

"Why can't you just have Colin take the children to school?" Elijah asked irritably. "What's the point of having a teenager with a driver's license if we don't take advantage of him once in awhile?"

"I would agree with you if we didn't have to take Henry too," Selina replied. "You of all people should know that Henry is a bit of a handful for someone who's never driven him to school before."

"Yes, I know that," Elijah replied irritably. "All right. Go ahead and take them, but don't dawdle."

"I know," Selina replied and came to give him a kiss. "You're such an impatient man."

Elijah smiled. "Only because you're such a pretty woman." She headed toward the door and he got out of bed and followed her, grabbing her from behind and turning her around to kiss her again.

"Okay, okay," Selina replied as the kiss ended. "I really have to go now, but I _promise_ I'll be back soon. All right?"

"Oh, all right," Elijah replied and gave her a good view of his backside before he crawled into bed again and pulled the covers over himself and she went to take Henry, Tristan, and Margaret to school, a chore she hurried with, just as she promised Elijah she would. She was back home in less than half an hour, and ran to the bedroom, stripping off her clothes while she ran, and ending up completely naked as she pulled herself in bed beside Elijah.

"You made good time," he said, taking her in his arms and kissing her hair.

"Well, that's what I promised, isn't it?" Selina asked.

"Indeed," Elijah replied. "And just for that, here's your reward." He kissed her deeply and eased into her, and this is basically what they did all day until it was time for Selina to pick the kids up from school. When she was gone, Elijah chuckled to himself. He'd worked her hard. And with her pills changed, he was going to have news of her pregnancy any day now. All he had to do was wait.

* * *

><p>"Hi!" Helene exclaimed as she opened her front door and saw Margot standing on the other side with her hand in Regina's. "I'm really glad you could bring Regina over to see Liam."<p>

Just then, the tiny blond boy, who was wearing jean shorts and a red shirt, came running in. "Now, what did we say about running?" Helene asked, picking him up.

"It's a bad thing," Liam replied, his big eyes on his mother.

"Yes," Helene replied. "Cause you might hurt yourself or break something." She put him down and said, "Look, Liam. Regina is here!" Liam strode toward Regina and gave her a smile. "Hi," he greeted her.

"Hi," Regina replied.

"I'm glad that these two can be playing together," Margot told Helene. "Cause she and Savannah don't get along well, and Susanna most likely won't take to her either. And since she doesn't have powers like either of the girls do, I don't want her run the risk of being hurt."

"Smart," Helene replied as Liam sat down with Regina and made a frog appear. Regina saw it, burst into tears, and ran for her mother, as Liam looked very confused about what all the fuss was.

"Or maybe not so smart," Margot replied with a grin. "It's all right," she told Regina. "It's just a little frog. It won't hurt you." She turned Regina around and brought her back to Liam, who still held the frog. "Froggy," he said.

"Yes, that is a froggy," Helene told her son. "But what did we say about zapping stuff like that up in the house?"

"Daddy said I could," Liam replied.

"Well, Daddy probably didn't know that I said it wasn't okay first," Helene replied, then called for Adrian. "Did you tell him he could zap up frogs and worms and bugs and stuff in the house? Cause I already said it wasn't okay."

"You did?" Adrian asked. "Sorry about that." He looked at Liam. "Apparently, your mother doesn't want you creating bugs and frogs and stuff in the house. Sorry, buddy." Liam groaned and made the frog disappear as Regina cautiously edged toward him again.

"Would you make me something pretty?" She asked him. "I would, but I can't." She waited for him to do it, but he wouldn't, and ran off toward the kitchen instead.

"Well, that's not very nice!" Regina replied.

"Not everyone has to make you pretty things," Margot told her daughter.

"Why not?" Regina asked.

"Cause they just don't," Margot replied. "I think this is one of the reasons why you and Savannah don't get along so well."

Regina huffed and sat down on the sofa, but was surprised a few minutes later when Liam came in a few minutes later and handed her a cookie.

"Thank you," Regina told him as he sat next to her.

"You're welcome," he replied with his mouth full. Regina winced at the sight of the chewed up food and ate her cookie in smaller bites.

"Are she and Savannah _really_ having trouble getting along?" Helene asked.

"Oh, yes," Margot nodded. "You have no idea what a problem it is. I'm thinking of not taking her over to see Savannah again, and only having Amy come to our house instead.

"No more Savannah?" Regina asked with a grin. "Yay!"

"Yeah," Margot sighed. "No use fighting what's inevitable, I guess. How would you like to play here with Liam instead? If it's all right with Helene."

"Please?" Liam begged his mother. "Please, please, please?"

"Oh, all right," Helene replied with a grin. "I think we could work something out."

"But one thing," Regina told Liam warningly. "No more frogs!"

* * *

><p>As Sam and Addie came to the club for his set that night, Roxie told him, "You know, you're not bound to work here or anything. If you wanna pursue something bigger than singing at a werewolf bar, go ahead. You're talented enough."<p>

"Well, thanks," Sam replied. "And some day, when I have enough money saved up, I probably _will _try other things, but for now, I just like it here."

"All right," Roxie replied with a grin.

"All right," Addie said as she came up behind him and gave him a kiss. "I'm gonna go check all the sound equipment to see if it works while you do whatever it is you need to do with the instruments."

"Your laryngitis sounds better," Sam commented. "I was really worried for a bit there."

"Yeah, I know, right?" Addie replied. "In cases like that, where I can't sing, it's good you can still carry a show on your own." He began tuning his guitar as Addie headed toward the sound equipment, but was waylaid by her brother, who seemed very happy.

"What's got you smiling so much?" Addie asked.

"Diana and I had sex!" he said.

"What?" Addie asked, her jaw dropping a little. "Really? I was wondering when that would happen. Good for you!"

"I know," Joey replied with a grin. "Isn't it?" He paused. "So will you be singing tonight?"

"Yep," Addie replied. "As long as I can talk, I can sing."

"Good," Joey replied.

"Have you...have you told Mom about you and Diana?" Addie asked.

"No, and I don't know if I'm gonna," Joey replied. "Not cause I think she'll embarrass me, but because of that feud, you know. The Talbots and the Lucases. It's been calm since Grandma Selina's mother was killed, but you never know what'll start it up again.

"All right," Addie replied. "I'll keep the knowledge to myself."

"Thanks," Joey replied, and went to get a drink for Diana while Addie checked the microphones. After she was sure that they were working well, she ran back to Sam. "We have to sing a song for my brother!" She said. "He and Diana hooked up!"

"Did they?" Sam asked. "Well, that's surprising. I thought with your brother's leg and all that it would take him forever to seal the deal with her.

"Well, apparently, he did," Addie shrugged. "So, do you think we can do it?"

"Sure," Sam replied. "And I think I have a song in mind."

They then went out onto the stage and started the show. It went on for a few songs and then Addie came back to the microphone, clearing her throat. "This next song is for lovers everywhere. You know who you are." She didn't mention Joey and Diana's names, but she caught her brother's eye as she began to sing "For Once In My Life" by Stevie Wonder. To her surprise, Joey and Diana even got up to dance with a few of the other couples, and went it was over, he looked at Addie and mouthed, "Thank you."


	41. Stringing Along

"How are you feeling?" Elijah asked Selina a couple of days later.

"Fine," Selina replied.

"Are you sure?" Elijah asked. "You know you don't have to pretend with me. If you're not feeling well, I'll take care of you."

"It's very sweet of you to say so," Selina told him. "But honestly, I'm fine."

She began to head downstairs to the basement and Elijah followed her. "What are you planning on getting down here?" He asked.

"Nothing special," Selina replied. "Just bringing up the boxes of clothes so I can change them for the season."

Elijah's eyes widened. "You mean...you mean the big, heavy boxes?"

"They aren't so heavy," Selina replied. "I can manage them." He watched her try and pick one of the boxes up, but then grabbed the other side. "Let me do it," he commanded. "It's not safe for you."

Selina sighed. "All right," she conceded and let him have the box. It was too early to make him confess what he'd done. She wanted to torture him with it some more.

"Well, thank you for being sensible," Elijah told her. "Now you go up ahead of me so you can rest, all right?"

"All right," Selina replied. "I will." She led him up the stairs and after he placed the box of clothes near the closet, he tucked her into bed and gave her a kiss. "Sleep well, darling," he said to her with an adorable smile. She smiled and nodded, but as he shut off the light and left the room, she started to feel a bit guilty for tricking him, even though she knew he deserved it for what he'd done with her pills. Sighing, she shut her eyes and tried to relax, cause she really wasn't tired at all.

* * *

><p>"What do you <em>mean<em> Mom is pregnant again, Daddy?" Laura asked as she clutched the phone tight with Charlie attached to her leg. "Did she tell you? You _do _realize that this will be your seventh kid together."

"I do realize that, Laura," Elijah replied. "I can count. And no, she hasn't told me, but I-I sense she is."

"How in the world can you be so certain?" Laura asked. Then she paused. "Are you up to something? I know you've been kind of down since I got married and had Charlie."

"'Up to something'?" Elijah repeated, sounding scandalized. "Laura, I am your father and I am so hurt you'd suggest that I'd be up to something!"

"Oh, stop," Laura replied. "So, what did you to in order to be so sure Mom is pregnant when she hasn't told you yet?"

"I-I switched her pills," Elijah replied. "I don't think she knows."

"Daddy, that's _awful_!" Laura chided. "How could you do that!"

"I have my reasons," Elijah replied. "Now don't tell your mother."

"Hold on," Laura replied. "Why did you switch Mom's pills?"

"Because I want her to have another child!" Elijah replied. "I only have Margaret and Tristan at home and they aren't exactly small anymore."

"So you decided that the way to fix that is to trick Mom into getting pregnant?" Laura raged. "Come on, Daddy! Have you even tried, oh, I don't know, _talking_ to her about having more kids first?"

"I have, of course!" Elijah replied. "But she wants me to wait god knows how long until Tristan and Margaret are out of the house!"

"Then do that!" Laura shouted in exasperation. "It won't be forever. It's better than tricking Mom!"

"What's going on?" Elijah asked as he heard crying in the background on Laura's end.

"That's just Charlie," Laura replied. "I shocked him when I yelled. I'm gonna get off the line now."

"All right," Elijah replied. "But remember, _don't tell your mother about this_!"

"Whatever," Laura replied after he ended the call. "You better believe I _will_, Daddy." She got off the phone and tried to calm the sobbing Charlie.

"What's the matter with him?" Edward asked. "Laura, what have you done?"

"I haven't done anything," Laura replied. "I was just talking to Daddy, and he was being ridiculous, so I yelled, and Charlie was attached to my leg, so the yelling shocked him and made him start crying."

"What's wrong with your father?" Edward asked.

"He wants to have another child, so he messed with Mom's birth control, and now he thinks she's pregnant," Laura replied. "He told me not to tell her, but I'm going to."

"Well, good," Edward replied. "You do that."

"You wouldn't do something so stupid if _you_ wanted us to have another kid, right, Edward?" Laura asked.

"Good lord, no!" Edward replied honestly. "I'd at least talk to you about it first."

"Good answer," Laura kissed him, and then handed him Charlie, so she wouldn't be disturbed when she called her mother.

"Oh, I'm well aware," Selina told Laura when she broke the news. "I have a new bottle of pills and everything, but I haven't told your father yet. I'll just let him think he got his way for awhile, then I'll reveal to him later that I've known all along what he did. But not right now, though. To tell you the truth, it's been kind of nice having him wait on me hand and foot these last few days."

"But you're not gonna lose focus on the real issue, are you?" Laura asked.

"Of course not!" Selina replied as Elijah came in with her toast and juice. He didn't happen to be wearing a shirt. "Now, I have to go," she said. "Your father just came in. Goodbye, Laura." She then pulled the covers over herself and tried to look tired.

"You were talking to Laura?" Elijah asked, his eyes widening momentarily. "About what?"

"Nothing!" Selina replied. "Charlie was being cute and she wanted to tell me about it."

"Oh," Elijah replied, trying to control his breathing. "Good."

"Are the things on that plate for me?" She asked.

"Yes," Elijah replied. "I thought you might be hungry. Are you?"

"Yeah," Selina replied with a grin. "And then after I'm done, what do you say we work some of it off?" She grinned.

"I-I don't know if that's such a good idea," Elijah replied. "Are you sure you're feeling up to it?"

"Do you think I would suggest it if I didn't feel up to it?" Selina asked, giving him a look. "Thank god this pregnancy is a lot easier than some of the others have been."

"Yes," Elijah replied. "Thank god."

* * *

><p>"Daddy says Mom is gonna have another baby," Margaret told Henry.<p>

"Why?" He asked. "Hasn't she had like a million already?"

"There's only six of us," Margaret corrected him. "Your daddy's family was about that big."

"True," Henry replied. "So, is this a good thing or a bad thing?"

"I like it," Margaret replied. "It'll be a kid for me to be the boss of!"

"Yes, you _do_ love bossing people around, don't you?" Henry asked. "_Especially_ me."

"I don't," Margaret replied. "Do I?"

"Sometimes," Henry replied. "But I like you, so I can ignore it."

"Well, I'm sorry," Margaret replied. She paused. "I hear babies are really loud and annoying. When this one comes, do you think Mom and Daddy will let me come and live with you so it doesn't disturb my school work?"

"I hope so," Henry replied. "That would be interesting. Although I don't know how much fun it'd be. Susanna has started liking this guy that Grandpa knows. I think his name is Marcel. Mom and Dad want to meet him so they can be sure Susanna won't be playing with a crazy guy."

"Really?" Margaret asked. "Could you tell me when the meeting will happen so I can be there to see it?"

"Sure!" Henry replied.

* * *

><p>"So, are you nervous about meeting Susanna's parents tonight?" Amy asked as she and Klaus set up the dinner table the night of Marcel's dinner with James and Lenora.<p>

"Why should I be nervous?" Marcel asked. "It's not as if I'm dating their daughter or asking her to marry me."

"Good point," Amy replied. "I just wanted to make sure."

"How come it is that they're meeting us here?" Marcel asked. "Why can't I go over to_ their _house?"

"Cause they live in another dimension," Klaus replied. "And travel there is complicated if you're not magical, and you, my friend, are not."

"Gotcha," Marcel replied.

They waited a bit, and then the doorbell rang. Klaus, Amy, and Marcel all headed toward the door and Klaus answered it.

"Hi!" Lenora said as she and James came in with Margaret and Henry following.

"Who...?" Marcel asked as he saw them.

"Sorry about the audience," Lenora told him. "But Margaret and Henry insisted on coming."

"Anyone want drinks?" Amy asked.

"I do!" Henry cried. "Beer, please!"

Amy smirked in spite of herself and cleared her throat. "Would anyone who can actually _drink _like a drink?"

Eventually, they all sat down with some wine, and Lenora was the first to address Marcel. "So," she said. "How long have you and my grandfather known each other, Marcel?"

Marcel chuckled and then said, "Sorry. Every time I hear the word 'Grandfather' used to describe Klaus here, I just think it's so funny!" Then, he cleared his throat. "He turned me in the 1820s," he said. "And helped me get away from the plantation where I was enslaved."

"Really?" Lenora asked. "That's nice. Way to go, Grandpa."

"It seemed like the right thing to do at the time," Klaus replied. "Just like what I did with Mary Anne when I was with your grandmother. Fortunately, things with Marcel turned out a lot better."

"Mary Anne?" Marcel asked. "Who was she?"

"The daughter of one of Selina's boyfriends in her Lonely Heart period," Klaus told him. "After she killed Mary Anne's father, the little girl was left an orphan, so I took pity on her, and took her under my wing. Selina wasn't happy about it, but what can you do?"

James then cleared his throat. "Our daughter seems very intrigued by you," he said. "She's just a little girl, so I have to wonder if it would be wise to let her keep being around you."

"Of course!" Marcel replied. "I love children. And your daughter, she's a delightful little girl."

"You aren't intending to use her for her powers, are you?" James continued. "Because I won't allow that."

"Of course not," Marcel replied. "I wouldn't hold her back from learning what comes naturally, but I wouldn't manipulate her to use her power for my own gain either."

"Really?" James asked, standing up and leaning across the table so he was looking in Marcel's eyes.

"Really!" Marcel replied.

"James, sit down," Lenora said. "I think he's serious."

"Yes, I am," Marcel replied as James sat down, still looking at him suspiciously.

"Are you suspicious of me too?" Marcel asked Lenora.

"No," she replied. "If you say that you don't intend to use my daughter for her powers, I believe you. Until I hear of something going wrong, I believe you."

"Punch him, Dad!" Henry burst out as Margaret put a hand over his mouth. "Be quiet!" She hissed. "That wasn't very nice."

Before Lenora could scold her son for his outburst, the door to the house opened again and Jonathan called out, "Anybody home?"

"We all are!" Amy called back. "If you want to stay for dinner, it's all right, Jonathan."

Jonathan and Savannah came into the dining room and sat down. Jonathan sat across from Marcel and said, "I'm Jonathan Putnam," while extending his hand. "Who might you be?"

"He's a friend of mine," Klaus replied before Marcel could speak. "Cause I have friends, and they can come and vist just like Amy says you can."

"Well, how nice," Jonathan replied. "I'm happy for you."

Marcel looked back and forth between Jonathan and Klaus. "Am I missing something here? I'm Marcel, by the way," he said to Jonathan, who nodded.

"No," Amy replied. "Jonathan's an ex of mine, so he and Klaus have never been on the best of terms, although Jonathan has tried."

Klaus rolled his eyes at this and then Marcel changed the subject. "What about you two?" He asked Lenora. "What are you all about?"

"I used to be the most feared warlock in the world," James replied. "Then, Lenora's grandmother took over the witch government and felt she could put me on the path to redemption, so now I head the police force."

"Well, what does it take for a guy to be the most feared in the magical world?" Marcel asked.

"I brutally murdered my wife, among other things," James replied. "She was cheating on me. And now the man she was having an affair with has to be my servant for all eternity, so it all worked out in the end."

Then Marcel turned to Lenora. "And how does Klaus have a witch for a granddaughter? Or does Susanna get her powers just from her father?"

"No, I'm a witch too," Lenora replied. "His son married a witch. My parents are kind of nutty. They just had my younger brother. And my sister, Felicity nearly ended everything for them permanently. It's not something we really talk about anymore."

"You remember Alistair?" Klaus asked Marcel. "My right hand man?"

"The really tightly wound one?" Marcel asked. "I remember that he was a warlock."

"Well, Adrian, my eldest son with Lonely Heart, married Alistair's daughter Helene, and Lenora here is their eldest daughter."

"I get it," Marcel nodded. "Interesting family you have. Will you take me to meet Lonely Heart sometime?"

"You have_ no_ idea," Klaus said. "As for Selina, she's married to my brother Elijah now, and _he_ doesn't like me coming near her unless it's absolutely necessary. He's terribly jealous, always worried she's gonna pull away from him, and coming up with plots to get her to stay, even though I don't believe at all that they're necessary. Even so, I'll try and set up a meeting."

"Well, thanks," Marcel replied. "I can't wait."

* * *

><p>Elijah was reading in his office when a terrible shriek rang out through the house. Feeling panic rising, he threw his paper down and sped through the house until, with his heart pounding, and then sinking, he found Selina crumpled at the bottom of one of the staircases that led to the upper floors. He picked her up and carried her to the sofa.<p>

"Oh, my god!" He whispered. "Are you all right, darling? Are you hurt? Please tell me you're all right and that the baby will be all right!"

Selina sat up. "I slipped on the stairs," she said. "But why...why are you so worried about a baby?"

"Cause...you're pregnant, aren't you?" He asked.

"Why would I be pregnant?" Selina asked, trying not to laugh. "You know I take pills so I don't get pregnant unless I want to."

"Yes I know!" Elijah replied. "But I-I-I have to confess that I-"

"That you switched my birth control prescription with sugar pills and then had sex with me so I'd get pregnant with the kid you want so badly?" Selina asked.

Elijah's jaw dropped a little. "You knew?"

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "I got another bottle to replace the one you wrecked. I've been messing with you this whole time."

"But-" Elijah tried to get out. He felt sick to his stomach. Finally, he sighed and stood up. "I'm gonna...I'm gonna go." Then he left the room, and once he was gone, Selina burst into laughter.


	42. In Too Deep

"I still can't believe you!" Elijah thundered. "Tricking me like that!"

"And what do you call switching my pills, you hypocrite?" Selina yelled. "What you did to me was _so _much worse!"

"Oh, no!" Elijah replied. "Not when you know that a child is what I want more than anything in the world. To lead me on like that, to let me believe that my dream was coming true before just snatching it away from me..._that's_ cruel."

"No," Selina shook her head. "Cruel would have been if I would have gone to see Lenora about this spell that the witches have to basically simulate everything in a pregnancy short of there actually physically being a baby! I could have let you believe you heard it kicking, and it's little heartbeat. I could have had you buying cribs and strollers and whatnot, and then told you nine months later that it was all a lie. _That _would have been cruel. Considering what you did to me, considering what could have happened if I'd been dumb enough to believe your trick, I think I behaved really well!"

"What would have happened is just a pregnancy," Elijah replied. "What's so bad about that?"

"Excuse me?" Selina asked, her eyes wide. "You've been around me when I've been pregnant, so how can you ask that question? Do you not remember that it's not all lollipops and rainbows? Of course it would be for you, since _I'm_ the one who has to do all the hard work. and you just get to walk around and brag to your brother about how we're having yet another kid! Damn it, after the triplets, you're lucky I'm even considering having another kid at all, even if you _do_ have to wait!"

And with that, she stalked off to Enid's (or rather Roxie's) for a drink.

* * *

><p>"What's got you down, Mom?" Roxie asked as her mother strode in.<p>

"I have to spend some time away from your uncle," Selina replied, sitting down on a bar stool. "He wants to have another kid, and it's making him behave terribly. I mean, your father and I had our problems, but never anything like what your uncle just did."

"Well, what did he do?" Roxie asked. "And are you gonna divorce him for it?"

"No," Selina sighed. "But it was just...it was not nice. He wants to have another kid and he messed with my birth control pills so I'd get pregnant, even though I said I wanted to wait until all the kids were out of the house before we started on round two. That's not unreasonable, is it?"

"No," Roxie replied and poured her mother a shot. "Especially since you're the one who has to go through pregnancy, labor, and delivery."

"I know!" Selina replied, and downed the shot. "That's what I told him, but apparently, to your uncle, that's crazy, unreasonable logic!"

"So does that mean you miss Dad?" Roxie asked.

"Sometimes, hell, yes," Selina replied. "I'm tempted to go see him. Not to do anything sexy, of course, but even an innocent visit drives your uncle crazy, and I can't possibly be in any more trouble with him than I already am."

"That's kind of petty, isn't it?" Roxie asked, pouring her mother another shot.

"It is," Selina nodded. "But I'm in the mood to be petty right now. Or at least childish." Selina continued to drink shots until she was barely able to stand up. "Want me to drive you home?" Roxie asked.

"No, thank you," Selina slurred. "I don't want to go home. The bad man is there. Take me to your daddy instead."

Roxie sighed. "Really?"

"Yes!" Selina replied. "Do it now!"

"All right," Roxie replied and led her mother to her car. She drove to Klaus and Amy's and helped her mother up the stairs, knocking on the door.

"Oh, my god," Amy replied when she saw the state Selina was in. "What happened here?"

"Mom and Uncle Elijah are fighting," Roxie replied. "So she wanted to come here instead of going to her house. Is that all right?"

"Well, of course," Amy replied and zapped them both in.

"I wanna go to bed," Selina told her. "I'm sleepy. I had a l'il too much to drink."

"Yes, well," Amy coughed as she got a whiff of Selina's breath. "Let's get you lying down before you hurt yourself."

"What's going on here?" Klaus asked his daughter. "Why did you bring your mother here?"

"It's where she wanted to come," Roxie shrugged. "Apparently, things aren't going so well between her and Uncle Elijah. I gotta get back to work now."

"All right," Klaus replied. He watched as Amy took Selina up to bed, then called his brother to tell him where she'd gone.

* * *

><p>Having not heard anything from either of her parents in days, Laura decided to leave Charlie with Edward and go see if her mother and father were all right. She drove up and noticed that both her parents' cars were in the driveway. She parked in the street and opened the front door, but even as she stepped inside, she heard yelling and the smashing of dishes.<p>

"Oh, damn!" She whispered to herself, and proceeded into the house with caution.

"Mom?" She called. "Daddy? Where are you? Is everything all right? Are you being robbed?"

She went further and further toward the yelling and said to herself, "Oh, damn. I hope I'm not interrupting them having sex."

Fortunately, that wasn't the case. Unfortunately, what _was_ going on was not a lot better.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Laura yelled as Selina held a dish over her head and was preparing to throw it in Elijah's direction. They both paused and turned to face their daughter. "What the hell is going on here?" She asked.

"Ask him," Selina replied. "He started it." She threw the dish, Elijah ducked, and it smashed into the dining room table.

"Well, I can't really ask him what happened if you don't stop throwing stuff for a minute, can I?" Laura asked. "Let's just sit down, take deep breaths, and talk."

"There's nothing to talk about!" Selina cried. "Your father is a big jerk, to use the kind expression. I spend one night at your uncle's where nothing happened, and now your father is acting like a jerk over nothing! And that was a bit ago! He's so over dramatic!"

"Oh, I am not!" Elijah replied.

"Sit!" Laura ordered. "Please."

Rolling their eyes, Selina and Elijah sat on either side of Laura. "Now," she said, looking back and forth between them. "What's going on here?"

"You told your mother about what I did to her pills, didn't you?" Elijah glared at his daughter. "Even after I specifically told you not to."

"Well, Daddy, you messed with her pills so she would become pregnant before she was ready," Laura said. "How could you expect me, in good conscience, to keep that quiet?"

"Thank you!" Selina replied. "See, Elijah? I _knew_ you were the one who was more wrong!"

"Well, Mom, you didn't necessarily have to lead him on either," Laura replied.

"When I told you about it, you said it was a _great_ plan!" Selina replied.

"I did not!" Laura replied. "Not at all!"

"Well, I would expect nothing less from you, Laura," Elijah replied. "If you'd been party to your mother's deception, I would have been _very_ disappointed in you."

"Well, there's no need for you to be disappointed, Daddy," Laura replied. "I'm not gonna be involved anymore. I wish I could get the two of you to forgive each other and reconcile, but that doesn't seem like it'll happen. So I'm just gonna go home to my husband, and my son, and be with them, all right? Goodbye."

She left, and when she had closed the door behind her, she thought to herself that it would take more than she had in her to get her parents back to her senses. She'd need to bring out the big guns: her older brother. If anyone could fix her parents, Gregory could. Or, at the very least, she could ask him to bring Elizabeth to make a temporary cease fire, at least on her father's end.

* * *

><p>"I don't see why I need to get involved in this," Gregory told Laura as his sister ushered him and Elizabeth into their parents' house.<p>

"Dad really fucked things up," Laura replied. "Mom got mad at him for that, and now they're fighting! Mom was throwing dishes!"

"So?" Gregory asked. "Why can't we just let them work things out for themselves?"

"If we leave it up to them, things won't get better!" Laura replied.

"If there's dish throwing, I don't know why you asked me to bring Elizabeth," Gregory said. "I don't want her to get hurt."

"She won't," Laura replied. "What started this whole thing is that Dad wants Mom to have another kid. I figure if he sees Elizabeth, it will calm him down long enough for us to get a reconciliation out of them, or at the very least a ceasefire!"

"Fine," Gregory sighed. "But if dishes or punches start flying, I'm taking Elizabeth home."

"Why are Grandma and Grandpa fighting?" Elizabeth asked her father.

"I don't know," Gregory replied and looked at Laura. "Why _are_ they fighting?"

"Well, it started with Dad messing with Mom's birth control so she'd get pregnant," Laura replied. "Mom retaliated by making him think she was, and it just snowballed from there."

They found Selina and Elijah shouting at each other and they stood there and watched for awhile.

"I never_ told_ you I was pregnant," Selina cried. "You just assumed, and that's _not_ my fault!"

"You could have corrected me," Elijah told her. "That wouldn't have been difficult. Or were you just so wrapped up in petty revenge thoughts that they were more important than my feelings?"

"Oh, ha ha ha!" Selina replied. "I'm supposed to care about _your_ feelings now? Did you even consider mine when you switched my pills? If you don't have to consider my feelings, I don't see why I have to consider yours!"

"You heartless, lying trollop!" Elijah replied and gave Selina a sound slap across the face. As Selina balled up her fist to give a return punch, Gregory moved to stop things before they went any farther, but it was Elizabeth who ceased fire, at least temporarily.

"Stop!" She yelled, getting in between them with tears in her eyes. "Stop _fighting_!"

Elijah looked down at her and his face automatically crumbled. "I'm sorry," he told her and picked her up. "Let's get out of here and go do something fun, all right?"

Elizabeth nodded and wiped her eyes. "All right," she said. Before he left, Elijah caught his children's eyes. "Laura, Gregory. Good day." Then, he strode off with Elizabeth in his arms while Laura checked on Selina to make sure she was okay.


	43. The Big Fight Anniversary

"Thank you for bringing Selina home, Amy," Elijah said as his wife was brought into the house. However, she clung to the doorknob and refused to be taken any further than inside the door.

"No!" She cried. "I don't wanna be here! He doesn't like me, and I don't like him!"

"Well, how can you work things out if you don't stay here and talk to each other?" Amy asked, giving her a tug.

"Let me do this," Elijah replied and gave her a tickle. Selina started laughing and let go, and then he picked her up and carried her further into the house. "Put me down, you monster!" Selina cried and beat on his back. "Come on, Amy! Don't go!"

Amy bit her lip and said, "I have to go and be with my husband while you stay here and be with yours. We'll be thinking about you. Oh, wait. No, we won't." and then left as Selina let out a shriek, which was muffled by the door closing.

"My god," Elijah replied. "Must you yell so much?"

"Well, I don't wanna be here!" Selina cried, and then winced as he set her down on the sofa.

"What's wrong with you?" Elijah asked.

"I drank too much yesterday," Selina explained.

"Well, that _is_ unfortunate," Elijah replied. "I'm going to my office."

"That's it?" Selina cried as he walked away. "You're not gonna help me?"

"No, you can help yourself," Elijah replied. "You're very good at that. What do you need me for?"

When he was gone, Selina sighed and went to make herself some coffee, hoping that it would make the pounding in her head go away. Then, after that was done, and she was feeling a little bit better, she remembered that she had errands to run. Her and Elijah's anniversary was in a few days and she still had wine to buy and a cake to make. It probably wouldn't do much good for the state of their relationship, but at least, with a cake and wine, Elijah couldn't say she wasn't trying, even if he was probably gonna hold her non-sexual and non-romantic trip to Klaus' over her head for ages to come and do some sort of revenge. Most likely involving Katherine.

* * *

><p>"Are you all right?" Katherine asked Gregory as she reached up to run her fingers through his hair. "You look exhausted, and Elizabeth seemed happy to be back from your parents'. What happened?"<p>

"Oh, nothing really. They're just fighting. They do that sometimes," Gregory replied.

"Do they?" Katherine asked. "What are they fighting about?"

"Well," Gregory sighed. "Father wants Mother to have another child, so he messed with her pills in the hope that she'd get pregnant, she found out, and let him just assume she was, and when she told him it was all a lie, he got upset." Gregory sighed. "My god! Be grateful your parents have been dead for hundreds of years."

Just then, the phone rang and Katherine went to answer it. "Hello?" She said.

"Hello, Katerina," Elijah replied. "Would you be available to have lunch with me tomorrow?"

"It depends," Katherine replied. "Are you asking cause you want to really see me, or are you just trying to make Selina upset?"

"Does it matter?" Elijah asked.

"No," Katherine replied. "Not really. I'll see you tomorrow for lunch."

* * *

><p>Knowing that Gregory would throw a fit if he knew she was going to have lunch with his father, when he asked her what she was doing the next day, Katherine just said she was having lunch with a girlfriend.<p>

"You have a friend?" Gregory asked in amazement.

"Yes, I have a friend," Katherine replied. "Put your jaw back up. Would you mind watching Elizabeth?"

"Do I _ever_ mind?" Gregory asked.

"No, not really," Katherine shook her head. "All right. The lunch will be lovely. I haven't seen this friend of mine in a _long_ time."

"Well, it's good you get to see them again, then," Gregory replied.

"Oh, yes," Katherine nodded. "It is indeed." After her breakfast was done, she got dressed and went to talk to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth," she began. "I'm going to see your grandfather today, but don't tell your daddy, all right? It will upset him."

"Why?" Elizabeth asked.

"Cause your grandmother and your grandfather are fighting right now, and if your daddy knows about this trip of mine, he'll think I'm trying to stop his parents from being together, and that's not true." She smiled. "So, will you keep this our little secret?"

"Yes, Mommy, I will," Elizabeth nodded.

"Good girl," Katherine told her and gave her a kiss. "Daddy's gonna watch you today and I'll see you later tonight."

"All right," Elizabeth said. "Goodbye, Mommy."

* * *

><p>"Okay," Katherine said when Elijah opened the door. "Is the coast clear, or am I going to have to worry about running into the dragon?"<p>

"No," Elijah chuckled. "The dragon has gone to work, the children are at school, it's just you and me here."

"Good," Katherine nodded and let out her breath. She came into the house and gave Elijah a brief hug. "So," she said. "What's for lunch?"

"I ordered in, actually," Elijah replied. "From this nice little French place a couple of miles away."

"How nice," Katherine replied. "And by the way, Gregory doesn't know I'm here, either. I thought it would freak him out, especially given the way things are between you and Selina now. If Gregory found out, he'd probably fly off the handle and accuse me of trying to break up you and Selina permanently."

"Well, I'm sure that once she apologizes for the horrible things she's done, we'll be able to move in a more positive direction," Elijah replied. "I just don't know how long that will take."

They finished their food and Elijah brought out the wine and cake Selina had brought home. "I figure we can have this," he said and poured her a glass, and cut her a piece of cake. "It was for our anniversary, but I don't really feel like celebrating that."

"Oh," Katherine nodded. "All right." They toasted, and as they ate their cake, they heard a key turn in the front door. They froze and rushed to hide the evidence, but Selina came in before they could.

"Oh, my god," she said. "That _better _not be the wine and cake I brought here for our anniversary. I thought that even though we're having our differences, this would help!"

"I didn't really feel like celebrating, darling," Elijah told her. "You understand that, right?"

"No!" Selina came and slapped him. "If I put in hard work to show you that I'm caring about our relationship, I expect you to acknowledge it, and not give it to _that_!" She pointed at Katherine. "Do you understand? And if you don't feel like celebrating, tough beans, because Alistair and Astrid are throwing us a party tonight and it would be impolite to skip it." She stalked off without even telling them what she was doing home.

"Well, that was inopportune," Elijah said.

"You know, I can go," Katherine told him.

"Oh, please," Elijah replied. "If you go, I'm going with you. I think Selina could use the time to herself. As long as we're back in time for the anniversary party, that is."

"That shouldn't be a problem," Kathrine replied. "Come on."

* * *

><p>"So," Gregory asked Katherine that evening. "How was lunch with that girlfriend of yours? it must've been something to make you be gone all day."<p>

"What?" Katherine asked. "Oh, it was great. I don't know if I'll be seeing her again, though."

"Why not?" Gregory asked. "I think it's good for you to see people. I wasn't even aware you _had _any friends. No offense, or anything."

"None taken," Katherine replied.

Just then, Elizabeth came in. "Why couldn't I go to lunch with you and Grandpa, Mommy?" She asked.

Gregory whipped around to face Katherine. "You had lunch with my father?" He asked. "Why would you have lunch with my father? _Why_? Are you trying to tear my parents apart? I know they're at a vulnerable place right now, but damn it, Katherine! You have no right! And what about me? Am I _nothing_?" He stalked off and Katherine glared at her daughter. "I told you not to say anything about my seeing your grandfather in front of your daddy and this is why," she said, indicating the hallway Gregory had just run down.

"Sorry," Elizabeth said and ran away, leaving Katherine to sigh and run her fingers through her hair, trying to make the headache she was getting go away. After giving Gregory some time to calm down, she managed to drag herself off the sofa and go to the bedroom where he sat brooding on the bed.

"What do you want?" He asked when he saw her. "Come to talk more about how you're ruining my parents' marriage?"

"Seriously?" Katherine asked, coming to sit beside him. "You knew when you married me that I had been involved with your father once and that your mother had issues with me. You knew that at times things would be awkward. Why are you acting like this is all a shock now?"

"Cause you have the power _not_ to make it awkward by doing things like not going to see my father by yourself!" Gregory replied. "How hard is that?"

"Well, your father asked me to come to lunch," Katherine replied. "What was I supposed to say?"

"How about 'No, thank you, because it will upset Gregory'?" Gregory suggested.

"Oh, no!" Katherine shook her head. "You're a big boy and I think you can handle my having _one_ lunch with your father. I already told you I wasn't gonna do it again, didn't I?"

"You probably said that just to stop me being mad at you," Gregory pouted.

"Well, that's just not true," Katherine replied. "You know why?"

"No," Gregory replied. "Why?"

"Cause I love _you_," She said and took her in his arms.

"What, really?" Gregory asked.

"Yeah," Katherine nodded.

"Sorry, I'm a little surprised," Gregory told her. "You've never said it directly before. Say it again."

Katherine smiled. "I love you," she repeated. "And I promise there was nothing between your father and I but French delicacies and cake."

Gregory took off his shirt and eased her against the mattress. "Interesting," she said as he went and got the scarf to tie her wrists to the bed. "Didn't expect you to want to do this now."

Gregory grinned. "Well, how else will you work off the cake?" Then, he helped her out of her clothes, ran his hands over her body, and gave her a big kiss.

* * *

><p>"Now, remember that we have to be polite," Elijah reminded Selina as they drove up to Alistair and Astrid's. They went to a lot of trouble to do this for us, and so they can't know we're not getting along."<p>

"I'm not the one who has to be told that," Selina replied. "I can act just as well as anyone."

"All right," Elijah replied. "Good." They reached their destination and parked the car in the street, and Elijah walked ahead of Selina to the front door, where a note was stuck on, saying that the party was outside. They made their way to the backyard, and Selina said, "I hope they have cake. The one I bought was tainted by Katherine spit."

"Will you be quiet?" Elijah whispered. "I thought you said you were the one who was so keen to behave."

"I am," Selina replied. "From here on out."

"All right," Elijah told her. They continued on into the yard and were met by Alistair and Astrid. Klaus was there too, as were Kol and Margot.

"Well, this is nice," Elijah smiled. "Thank you for this, you two." He and Alistair hugged, and Selina hugged Astrid.

"I got a cake," Astrid told her when they separated. "I'm positive it won't be as good as any that you make, but you can't have a party without cake."

"No, you can't," Selina agreed.

They all chatted for a bit, and then Alistair handed Elijah a knife. "How about the two of you cut the cake?" He asked. Elijah took the knife and then he and Selina proceeded to stand by the three tier cake Astrid had bought. Elijah cut a piece and gave it to Selina to feed to him, as they had at their wedding, It stared out all right, but then, as he chewed, suddenly, she smushed the rest of the piece of cake in his face. There was a moment of silence, then everyone began laughing. Astrid went to get a towel, and then after Elijah was cleaned off, Astrid said, "You wouldn't mind giving us a kiss, would you?"

Elijah and Selina stared at one another, feeling panic rise. It wasn't that they didn't want to kiss each other. They did. But they knew that in doing so, it would destroy the carefully set up walls of indifference they'd put up to get through this argument. Finally, Elijah just grabbed Selina, dipped her back, and kissed her deeply as everyone applauded. They expected the kiss to end after a few seconds, but it kept going. Finally, Elijah and Selina pulled apart, tingles that they didn't want to feel shooting through their bodies. Elijah looked apologetically at Alistair and said, "Thank you for the party, but would you excuse us?"

"You're going to have sex now, aren't you?" Klaus called, and then nudged Kol. "They're going to have sex now."

Kol looked at Margot, who was wearing a tight outfit. "You know," he said, "that's not a bad idea."

But Elijah and Selina didn't hear this. They got in the car and drove a discreet distance away before he parked and they both climbed into the trunk, ripping off each other's clothes as he pushed into her right there. After it was all over and they were sweaty and panting, Selina said, "I-I guess we needed that."

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "Right. Anyway, what do you say we go home now?"

"Fine with me," Selina replied. "Let's go. I have some more stuff to make for the bakery, anyway.

"And I didn't finish reading the paper this morning, so I'll...do that."

They drove home, Elijah shut himself in his office, Selina baked, and they didn't see each other for the rest of the night.


	44. Making A Good Impression

The morning after the anniversary party, Elijah and was surprised to smell bacon cooking. He came up behind Selina and sniffed. "Well, that looks tasty," he said.

"I know, doesn't it?" Selina replied. "It's a shame though that there's not enough for you."

"What do you mean there's not enough for me?" Elijah asked.

"Well, the supply was low at the grocery store, and I cooked all I could get," Selina replied. "And I figure that since I'm the one that made it, I should get some. And the kids should. Haven't you heard of 'women and children first'?"

"That applies to evacuating sinking ships, not eating bacon for breakfast!" Elijah replied.

When Tristan and Margaret came to the table, Selina set their nicely cooked meals in front of them.

"And what will I eat?" Elijah asked.

"There's cold cereal," Selina replied. "Have some of that."

Giving her a look, Elijah got himself some cereal, and was mollified a teensy bit when Selina offered him coffee.

"Sure," Elijah replied. "Thank you."

Selina started to pour, but then missed the cup, sending hot coffee onto Elijah's pants. He let out a yell and scowled at her.

"Daddy, are you okay?" Margaret asked.

"Yes, I'll be fine, dear," Elijah replied, standing up. "Just as soon as I change my pants."

"So I have crappy aim!" Selina called after him. "It can happen to anyone!"

Elijah scoffed and went to change his pants, while Selina went back to the table.

"Why did you hurt Daddy, Mom?" Margaret asked.

"I didn't mean to," Selina replied. "You heard me say that."

"I don't know," Tristan replied. "The two of you _are_ fighting."

"But that doesn't mean that I would try to permanently injure your father," Selina told them. "It was an accident. Now, how about you eat your breakfast before it gets cold, hmmm?"

Elijah came back a few minutes later, scowled at his wife, and began eating his cereal. "So," he said a few bites later. "What's going on with the two of you today, children?"

"Nothing really," Tristan replied.

"Math test," Margaret added.

"Did you study?" Elijah asked.

"Yes, I did," Margaret nodded.

"Good," Elijah told her and looked at Selina. "And what about you?"

"Well, apparently, I've gotten on Amy's bad side, so spending time with her is not an option," Selina replied. "However, your sister was more than happy to agree to do stuff with me."

"My sister?" Elijah asked, his bite of cereal pausing near his mouth. "You're going out with my sister?"

"Yes," Selina nodded. "I just said that."

"No," Elijah shook his head. "You're not going out with my sister."

"You can't decide what I can do and what I can't!" Selina exclaimed, standing up. "That's none of your business!"

"You just want to keep prolonging this fight we're having instead of making an effort to fix it, don't you?" Elijah asked.

"I'm not prolonging anything!" Selina replied. "I'll wear my wedding ring everywhere I go, and you won't have to worry, apparently since men thinking you're claimed by someone else makes them run away faster than saying you're just not interested."

"Just make sure you do," Elijah replied.

Selina then bared her teeth and stalked off, while Elijah, Tristan, and Margaret finished breakfast without her. When it was clear she wasn't coming back, Elijah took her plate and finished off her bacon and eggs. "I hate to be wasteful," he said when his children stared at him. He then went to put his plates in the sink, and go to meet his father for the day.

* * *

><p>Elijah spent the day killing evil-doers with a ferocity that made his father proud. "Can I ask what's brought on all this enthusiasm for the job?" Mikael asked. "Problems at home, possibly?" He seemed hopeful.<p>

"A bit," Elijah admitted.

"Caused by _her,_ I presume," Mikael replied knowingly. "You do realize there are other, more agreeable women in the world, son."

"Oh, I don't want another woman," Elijah told his father. "No matter how much of a disappointment that is to you. Sometimes, Selina and I just need to fight, and that's all. We'll get through it."

"Oh, what a shame," Mikael replied with a sigh.

They finished the 'work day', and when Elijah returned home, she found Selina standing by the door in a _very_ attractive sleeveless, blood red dress. "So you're going out again," he noted dryly.

"Yeah," Selina nodded, showing him her hand. "And don't worry; here's my ring." She paused and gave a twirl. "Like my dress?"

"It's fine," he said. "It's not blue, but it's fine."

"Thanks for the enthusiasm," She told him.

"I can't believe you were expecting any," Elijah replied.

Just then, Anna knocked on the door and Selina grabbed her purse. "Going out now," she told Elijah. "And don't wait up for me." She then left, and after a quick 'Hello' from his sister, Elijah slammed the front door shut. He then tried to distract himself by reading or watching TV, but all he could think of was Selina throwing her ring away and dancing with every attractive man who gazed at her in wherever she and Anna happened to be. Lord knew there was enough of her for them to gaze at in that dress she was wearing.

Finally, he turned the television off and went to go stand by the door until Selina came home. She opened the door quickly so that it hit him in the face. When she shut it and grinned, she said, "And how long have you been standing there?"

"A long time," Elijah replied, holding his nose. "Where's my sister?"

"She went home with a girl she liked, so I took a taxi," Selina replied. "You really should put something on your nose. Goodnight, I'm going to bed." She paused, then turned around. "But first, would you unzip my dress?"

"Fine," Elijah replied. He slowly unzipped her dress, then she kicked off her shoes, peeled off the dress right in front of him so she was in her underwear, took her shoes and her dress, and made her way to her room, turning her head to wish Elijah good night as she did so.

* * *

><p>"Would you relax?" Laura asked as she carried a cargo-pant-and- sweater-vest-clad Charlie into the preschool where Edward hoped that his son would be enrolled.<p>

"Are you sure that you got all of that dye out of his hair and washed the marker off of him?" Edward asked.

"Yes, I did!" Laura nodded. "And he wasn't happy about it, honestly."

"Yes, well," Edward sighed. "We can't always have everything, can we?"

"Don't you think he's a bit young to be going to preschool?" Laura asked. "There's no harm in waiting a year."

"Ever since he was born, you've run your business out of our house," Edward pointed out. "If he went to preschool now, you could get yourself salon space."

"But I like working at home," Laura replied. "It doesn't bother me. It means I get to see you every day. Unless you think I'm a distraction."

"I have one more year of school left before I graduate," Edward replied. "And I need all the quiet I can get to study."

"So 'Yes' on the 'Laura is a distraction' thing?" Laura frowned. "Fine. We can put him in stupid preschool and I'll go away so you can have peace and quiet."

"Don't be like that," Edward sighed. "It's not like that at all." At that moment, one of the people who ran the school approached them and they couldn't talk any more.

"Mr. and Mrs. Emerson, hello," she greeted them as they went to sit down. Then she smiled at Charlie. "And this must be your son."

"Yes," Edward nodded. "This is Charlie. Can you say 'Hi,'" Charlie?"

"Hi," Charlie replied obediently.

"He's adorable," the woman replied. "And he looks very well dressed. The uniform wouldn't be a problem for him, then?"

"Uniform?" Laura asked. "For god's sake, this is a _preschool_! What do they need uniforms for?"

The woman gave her a look and Gregory squeezed Laura's arm. "She's a little nervous about Charlie coming here is all," he said. "One of those mothers who struggle with letting their children go."

"I understand," the woman replied. "We see that a lot around here." She then took Charlie from Laura's arms and sat him down on another chair. "Do you know your ABC's, Charlie?" She asked him. He nodded, and recited them, and numbers up to twenty afterward. Then, he was tested on his primary colors, and even on basic Spanish and French.

"They want him to be some sort of Einstein!" Laura replied.

"Well, then aren't you glad I insisted on showing him those language DVDs?" Edward asked. "You thought they were silly."

"I don't think it's silly," Laura replied. "I just think you're so intent on him getting into this school that you're pushing too hard too fast. And it's not good for him, Edward! He's just a baby!"

"It'll be good for him in the end," Edward replied. "Trust me, you'll see."

Laura sighed and rolled her eyes, and when Charlie was brought back to her, he was clearly beginning to become less than enchanted with his outfit, fussing a little and trying to get it off.

"So how did he do?" Edward asked.

"Very well," the woman replied. "We were very impressed. We'll let you know about his admission status in a few days."

"Wonderful!" Edward said with a smile. They took him out of the school and Edward held his son to himself. "Good job, Charlie," he said. "What do you want for a reward?"

"I think he wants to be put in a new outfit," Laura replied. "That much is obvious. And I'd be more than happy to do that for him." She took Charlie from his father and stalked off ahead of Edward toward the car.

* * *

><p>"You know, this car really drives well," Diana told Joey. "You made a good choice."<p>

"Well, thank you," Joey replied. "But a few miles from now, you wouldn't mind taking the wheel, would you? My leg is starting to cramp."

"Sure," Diana nodded. "You know, I'm proud of you for taking the time to drive instead of using your powers to just zap us where we're going."

"Well, for one, I didn't think of it, and for two, I don't _know_ where we're going," Joey said with a grin. "Just where _do _these friends of yours live anyway? And they won't hate you for, you know, not dating a werewolf, will they?"

"They'll understand," Diana shrugged. "Werewolves almost always marry outside the species anyway. It would have been _me_ that would have had to worry about judgment from the witches about you. But since Enid's your mom, I guess no one can protest at all." She grinned smugly until Joey pulled off on the shoulder and she took her spot in the driver's seat.

They kept driving until they reached a nicely appointed but small house made out of red brick with white shutters on the front windows. "This is a nice little house," Joey replied as Diana parked the car.

"You need my hand to help yourself get out?" She asked. "Or are you okay?"

"I'm fine, thanks," Joey replied, getting out of the car. But he took Diana's hand as they made their way toward the house. They got up the steps and Diana rang the doorbell. The door opened a few seconds later, and Joey saw a smiling young woman with black hair and brown eyes. "Diana!" She said and gave her friend a hug. Then her gaze turned to him. "And you must be Joey."

"Yeah," Joey nodded as he gave her hand a shake. They went inside and sat down. "It's been awhile, hasn't it, Carrie?" Diana asked her friend. "How's Steve?"

"We're both good," Carrie replied. "Although Steve's all worked up about Enid's being under new management."

"He shouldn't be," Joey replied. "My mom is running it now, and it's basically the same."

"But why would Enid quit?" Carrie asked Diana.

"Her boyfriend came back," Joey replied. "Then, her father found out and made her leave for five hundred years. But I still get calls from her and her boyfriend Owen, sometimes."

"But why would they call you?" Carrie asked. "When they haven't talked to any other werewolf in who knows how long?"

"See, that's the thing," Diana told her friend. "Joey's not a werewolf. I mean, we _thought _he was, but it turned out not to be true."

"All right, well what are you then?" Carrie asked Joey, "If you don't mind my asking? Human?"

"No," Joey shook his head. "A warlock. Enid is my mother."

"Seriously?" Carrie asked, her jaw dropping a little. Then, she looked at Diana. "Is he shitting me or what?"

"No, he's serious," Diana replied. "What made you think he was human?"

"Well, I saw him hobbling when he came in here, and you know, any other species besides humans don't have people who are lame around."

"It happened cause my mother saved my life," Joey told her. "I was stillborn because of some bad choices my adoptive mother made during her pregnancy, and then Enid, she...she brought me back to life. And the consequence of bringing me back from the dead was that I've never healed as well as I'm supposed to, but it's worth it if the alternative is being dead."

"Sorry," Carrie apologized. "I had no idea." She paused and let out a breath. "Some kids the two of you are gonna have. Half werewolf and half magical."

"Yeah, it'll be something," Diana replied. "But that won't be for a _long_ time."

"Well, as long as you're happy," Carrie replied.

"Yeah," Diana replied, giving Joey's hand a squeeze. "I am."

"All right, then," Carrie smiled. "What can I get you to drink? Or would you rather see your rooms first?"

"Let's have a drink first," Diana decided.

"Yeah," Joey agreed. "Let's have a drink, and then go see our room."


	45. Truth At The Bottom Of A Bottle

"Okay, kids," Selina told Margaret and Tristan. "It's laundry day and I need your hampers."

Margaret and Tristan both groaned. They hated laundry day.

Then, Elijah cleared his throat. "Yes?" Selina asked.

"Are you going to do mine too?" He asked.

Selina shrugged. "All right. But only because you have no idea how to do it yourself."

"Neither do the children, and I don't see you teasing _them_," Elijah replied.

"Well, you are a grown man and one would think that after a thousand years, you'd learn how to do a little laundry," Selina replied. "But I guess you never felt the need cause it's a 'woman's job', right?"

"Look, if you don't want to do my laundry, you don't have to," Elijah said. "I could find a way to get it done. I don't need your help."

"Nevertheless, I'll do it anyway, cause I'm a bigger person than you, and I know you'll just make a mess of everything." Selina replied.

"No," Elijah replied. "I'm gonna do it, and that's final!"

"All right," Selina replied. "Suit yourself. I can't _wait _to see the results!"

Elijah scoffed and later in the day, after Selina had finished Margaret and Tristan's laundry, sorted out his own for washing. There wasn't much of it, since the majority of his clothes had to be dry-cleaned, but there was enough for at least one load. Elijah meticulously sorted it, and then called Selina to gloat about how well he'd done without her help.

"See there?" He asked, pointing. "I told you I could do this by myself. I _told _you."

"Right," Selina nodded. "You sure showed me. But sorting is the easy part. Putting it in the washer and getting things started is a whole other animal."

"I can do that too," Elijah replied. The first batch he carried to the washer was his whites. But as he put them in, he was interrupted by his phone ringing. Thinking that his call wouldn't take very long, he left the door to the clothes washer open and left. Selina then crept in, carrying a red sock. She put the rest of his whites in the drum, threw the sock in, and started the machine, laughing to herself as she left afterward.

By the time Elijah returned, the washer had finished. Curious, he opened it and gasped as he removed every obviously pink piece of clothing to put in the dryer. But before he started it, he found Selina in the library and snatched her book away. "What the hell did you do to my clothes?" He asked her.

"Well, this should teach you not to leave your laundry unattended," Selina replied. "I've been meaning to buy you new shirts anyway."

"That's no excuse!" Elijah replied. "Can't you be civil despite the fact that we're fighting?"

"No," Selina replied with a smirk. "I can't."

"And what if I were to mess with _your_ laundry?" Elijah asked. "What would you do then?"

"Well, thank you for telling me that that's what you plan to do," Selina replied. "When I do my next load, I won't leave the machine, so you don't have a chance of doing squat." Elijah scoffed at her and left. "I'm not even gonna bother putting my clothes in the dryer," he said. "I think I'll just throw them all away. What does it matter, anyway?"

He left and then Selina felt sort of bad for what she'd done. But a few seconds later, she got over it. "What you did is not even as bad as him switching your pills," she muttered to herself. "If _he_ doesn't feel bad about what he did, you don't have to feel bad about what _you_ did." She and Elijah spent the rest of the day apart from each other, and at night, Selina tried to tuck herself into bed, but for some reason, she had the worst trouble getting to sleep, mostly because it was one of those nights where it hit her that she was sleeping alone, and she knew she wasn't good at that.

With sigh, she went and put some cold cream on her face and headed out to the kitchen to eat something, hoping that would make her tired. She rummaged around in the refrigerator and found a thing of cold chicken, pulling it out, opening it, and eating some, along with a few glasses of wine. Finally, she fell asleep sitting in a chair with her cheek against the side of the refrigerator, clutching the container of chicken to herself. She stayed asleep until she was awakened by Elijah letting out a cry at the sight of her as he turned the kitchen lights on.

"What?" She asked sleepily as the container of chicken fell to the floor and made a loud noise. "What's the matter?"

"You practically gave me a heart attack!" Elijah told her. "What is that you have all over your face?"

"Oh," Selina wiped some off her cheek. "It's just cold cream. I'll go take it off. I didn't mean to scare you. I was just having trouble sleeping. But I'm clearly better now, so I'm gonna go back to my room." Her head was swimming from the alcohol she'd drunk, and as she made her way out of the kitchen after clumsily removing the cold cream, she stumbled and Elijah ran to catch her before she hit the floor. "What is the matter with you?"

"I might have had a little to drink," she said and yawned. "I wanna go to bed with you. I'm tired." She put her head on his shoulder, and Elijah ran his fingers through her hair. "Do you _really_ want to go to my bed?" He asked. "I thought you didn't like me."

"I don't care," Selina replied. "I can't sleep alone! I wanna snuggle!" She began nibbling on his ear, her fingers running through his hair. Grinning behind her back, he picked her up and carried her to his room, placing her on the bed and undressing her before removing his boxers and kissing her deeply before slipping inside her. Although he knew she'd object in the morning, he'd take what he could get for now.

* * *

><p>It initially seemed like there would be no fallout. In the morning, Selina, half awake, snuggled closer to him and made a content noise. But then, a few seconds later, her eyes opened and she shot up. "Oh, my god," she said, her eyes wide as she looked around. "Oh, my god, I don't <em>believe<em> this!"

Elijah sat up and she slapped him. "How could you?" She cried. "How could you take advantage of me like that?"

"You _said_ you wanted to go to bed with me!" Elijah replied. "Given the fact that I've spent every night and day alone since you started this stupid fight, did you expect me to refuse you?"

"I didn't mean it!" Selina replied, covering herself up. "I was drunk, and when people are drunk, they say things that they don't mean! You _suck_!" She got out of bed, still covering herself with the sheet, and began looking for her pajamas. "I really, _really_ hate you!"

Elijah chuckled. "That's definitely not how you felt last night," he said. He then dug around and pulled her panties out from under the blankets. "Looking for _these_?" He asked, giving her thong panties a shake.

"Oh, give me those!" She snatched them out of his grip just as the sheet fell, which only made Elijah grin wider. "Why so much venom?" He asked. "I mean I expected _some, _but this is a lot, even for you."

"Remember why I got pregnant with Colin?" Selina asked, her voice short.

"Yes, because since we weren't having sex, you neglected to take your pills, and...no, really?" Elijah asked with a grin. "Seriously? I would have thought that you would have learned a lesson after Colin."

"Apparently not," Selina replied. "So I haven't taken my fucking pills and now let's just hope and pray that nothing happens."

"And what if it does?" Elijah asked.

"Well, then we'll start getting along again then, won't we?" Selina asked, beginning to dress. "It's a win either way."

* * *

><p>Roxie was standing by the phone at the bar, her hand tightly grasping it.<p>

"What's wrong?" Vince asked.

"Joey hasn't called here yet," Roxie replied. "I specifically told him to call me once he got to wherever it is that he and Diana are going!"

"I think you should relax," Vince replied. "She's looking out for him. He's gonna be all right. Want me to make you a drink?"

Roxie nodded just as Damon strode in and sat at the bar. "Sam performing tonight?" He asked her.

"Well, yes," Roxie replied. "He does every night. Well, except for Sundays. Why haven't you been coming to see his performances? Has Lucy been keeping you on a short tether?"

"Never," Damon replied. "I'm fully in control of my relationship. We've just been busy. But I'm here now."

"Good point," Roxie replied. "Sam will be happy."

"Are you all right, kid?" Damon asked her.

"Yeah, thanks," Roxie nodded. "Joey's just having his first trip out of town with his girlfriend and I'm a bit nervous. That's all."

Damon chuckled. "You know, your mother talked just like that when you ran away and came to live here," he said.

"She did?" Roxie asked. "I would have thought that she'd be so wrapped up in Dad and then Lucy that she wouldn't have cared. I mean, I wasn't exactly nice to her when I was a kid."

"But even so," Damon replied. "Trust me, she was worried about you. And now you're worried about Joey."

"I know its unreasonable," Roxie replied. "I know that. It's just that I don't know Diana very well, and then there's the whole feud angle. What if this whole trip she's got Joey on to 'see her friends' is just so she can hand him over to her father and they can kill him and gain the upper hand?"

"Well, does she seem like the sort of person who would do that?" Damon asked. "You've met her, right?"

"Of course I've met her!" Roxie said. "Do you think I would let Joey ride off with someone I've never met before?"

"Well, even though you've met her, it clearly wasn't long enough for you to feel comfortable with her," Damon replied.

"Actually," Vince corrected, putting his arms around Roxie's waist, "She could _move in_ with us and Roxie would still be uncomfortable with her."

"Because she's taking away my baby!" Roxie replied.

Damon gave Vince a look. "Does she feel this way about Addie too? Should I warn Sam?"

"No," Vince shook his head. "It's just a Joey thing."

"What's going on?" Addie asked, coming into the room. "Is Mom still worked up about Joey? He's fine! Mom, they've even had sex. I don't think she's gonna dump him."

"They what?" Roxie's head snapped up.

"They had sex," Addie repeated. "Granted, I don't think I was supposed to tell you that, but...goodbye." She ran off and Damon chuckled. "That was fun. You're not gonna kill her for telling you that, are you, Roxie?"

"No," Roxie pouted. "I guess not." She sighed. "I suppose he has to have a life of his own sometime."

"Very true," Vince replied. "I'm glad you're realizing that."

"But if you think it'll help," Damon added, "I'll buy you some drinks to forget it."

"You will?" Roxie asked. "Yes, please and thank you!"

"All right," Damon grinned. "If you'll just let me behind the bar, there..." He bounded over it and then began making Roxie a drink, which she downed quickly. After a few more, Vince said, "Are you okay about Joey, Roxie?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Roxie nodded, her voice slurred. "If he gets home in one piece, that's good. Now take me to bed, please."

"All right," Vince nodded and picked her up. "I'll take you to bed and hopefully we'll at least have a phone call from Joey to tell you about when you wake up."

"Yeah," Roxie nodded. "That would be nice. Night-night, Damon!" She called.

"Nighty-night, Roxie," Damon called back. "Sleep tight!"

* * *

><p>"So," Henry asked. "When is your mom gonna have her baby?"<p>

"She's not gonna have one," Margaret replied. "She was just tricking Daddy and now it's making them fight." She paused. "You're so lucky_ your _mom and dad never fight."

"Yeah, they got most of that out of the way before I was born," Henry replied. "Dad brought Mom to our castle to do his housework, and she didn't want to, so she set herself on fire with magic."

"How did she do that and not die?" Margaret asked, looking shocked.

"Magic," Henry repeated with a grin.

"I just wish Mom and Daddy would stop fighting," Margaret replied. "I know they'll make up, but it takes such a long time, and is so _annoying_." She paused and looked up at Henry. "If you liked somebody, would you fight with them?"

"I'd try not to," Henry replied. "Unless you wanted me to."

"Why would I want you to?" Margaret asked.

"I don't know," Henry shrugged. "I was just making a suggestion."

Just then, James came in the room. "Hey, did Lenora set herself on fire?" Margaret asked him.

"Oh, yes, she did," James nodded. "Not really a fan of housework, that woman. Still isn't."

"Well, it's good you have Max, then," Margaret said.

"Yeah," James replied. "It's a _very_ good thing we have Max."

"Hi, Maggie," Susanna greeted her as she came into the room, followed by Rusty. "You wanna know what I did a few days ago?"

"Sure," Margaret nodded. "What did you do?"

"Marcel and Jonathan took Savannah and me to a place where you see the future," Susanna told her.

"Oh, yeah?"Margaret smiled. "What's gonna happen to you?"

"I don't know," Susanna shook her head. "Apparently, I'm too young to know."

"Well, that's strange," Lenora replied.

"Do you think something bad will happen to me?" She asked, looking worried.

"Of course not," Henry replied. "Nothing bad will happen to any of us in the future. It's all gonna be okay."

Later, Margaret said, "That was so nice, what you told your sister."

"I try," Henry shrugged.

"But what if you're wrong?" Margaret asked. "What if, when we get older, my daddy keeps us apart like Romeo and Juliet? They both die at the end!"

"We're not gonna die," Henry assured her. "We're gonna get married and live happily ever after, and if any one tries to stop us, I'll punch them in the face."

"Really?" Margaret asked.

"Yeah," Henry nodded. "Even if I have to do bad things beforehand, I'll make sure we get married."


	46. The Kids Are All Right

"Well, this is just so funny," Elijah said as Selina rolled her eyes. "All that time you spent scolding me about your pills, and then here you are forgetting to take them yourself."

"Yes, yes, yes, I get the irony and it's *hilarious*. I thought the idea of me being pregnant would make you friendlier."

"It will," Elijah replied. "But I'd be a fool if I didn't take the chance to gloat first."

"Fine," Selina replied. "Get it out of your system."

"I did," Elijah replied and took her in his arms. "Now, I'm done."

"Good," Selina told him. "I'm sorry about all your shirts. I'll go buy you new ones ASAP."

"There's no rush," Elijah told her. "Cause you know I either wear my suits or go shirtless anyway."

"Do you?" Selina asked, eyebrow raised. "I wouldn't mind seeing that. Sober this time, I mean."

Elijah's eyebrow raised. "Don't you have pills to take first?"

Selina shrugged. "I've already screwed up once, so now it really doesn't matter." She paused. "But whatever. As long as my pills are around, I'll go and take them."

She did and came back, crawling into bed beside him and cuddling in his arms. "I'm sorry about my part in our fight. It was...it was cruel of me and I shouldn't have done it."

"Well, it's not like I'm entirely innocent either," Elijah replied with a sigh. "I shouldn't have messed with your pills. I should have talked to you like a mature adult."

"Can I ask why my being pregnant is so important to you?" Selina said. "I know it's not cause you're cruel and just see me as a baby machine like your father does, so why?"

Elijah sighed. "You're going to think I'm being foolish, but...I feel like recently, you've been pulling away from me. What with all the time you've been putting in at the bakery, and sneaking off to have dinner with Sam and Damon without telling me first. And I thought that if we had a baby, it would...it would bring you back."

"Oh, sweetheart!" Selina said and put her arms around him. "I'm sorry that you feel I've been pulling away. Cause I haven't meant to do that at all. I've just been really busy is all. When you own a business, that happens. As for Damon and Sam, I think you know why I didn't tell you about that. Cause you'd worry and fuss. Am I wrong? Sam is my son, and I have to spend time with him, even if it's just a little time. I didn't know Damon was gonna come, and I sure as hell am not gonna start falling in love with him again. You know why?"

"Why?" Elijah asked.

"'Cause I love _you_, you silly guy!" Selina replied and kissed him. "And I understand that given my complicated romantic past and all the outside familial obligations I have to fulfill as a result of that can make you forget it, but it doesn't bother me to have to remind you, really."

"Even if it makes us fight?" Elijah asked, eyebrow raised.

"The kids are used to it now, and as long as we make up eventually, it's okay," Selina said and just held on to him.

"Well, good," Elijah replied and kissed her hair. "I'm glad."

* * *

><p>The next day, Elijah and Selina both came home for lunch. "I'm surprised to see you here," he told her. "I thought you would have just stayed at work over the lunch hour."<p>

"Well, I would have," Selina replied. "But it was kind of an emergency, so I had to leave."

"Oh, my god!" Elijah exclaimed, grabbing her. "What's the matter? Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm not hurt," Selina replied. "But I-I've been making cupcakes that are chocolate with raspberry filling in the middle for this murder mystery party one of my regular clients is throwing and it just...watching that red filling ooze out, it just...it made me hungry."

"I see," Elijah replied. "Thank you for coming home instead of just snacking on some random person."

Selina nodded. "I knew that would make you happy." She went and got a bag of blood, and then handed it to him. "Would you open this for me, please?" She asked.

"Of course," he nodded and got it open, then studied her as she drank it.

"Be careful how much you drink," he said. "You don't want to go overboard."

"I won't," Selina said and grinned, her fangs showing. "I know just the right amount to drink."

"Even so," Elijah replied, "I still think I'd be more comfortable watching you." He watched her and breathed a sigh of relief when she handed him the blood bag without overdoing it. Then, she kissed him and said she had to go.

"Sorry, I can't stay," she said. "And I might be home late tonight."

"Really?" Elijah asked.

"Yeah," Selina replied, her mouth twisting. "Sorry."

"It's fine," Elijah said. "You do what you have to do. But can I do one thing before you go?"

"Sure," Selina said with a grin. "Go ahead."

He grinned, took her in his arms, and kissed her long and deep before giving her a spanking and sending her on her way.

* * *

><p>"Did you remember to call your mother?" Diana asked Joey as they headed to the next location on their trip itinerary. "If not, she's probably worried sick about you."<p>

"Oh, crap!" Joey replied, his eyes wide. "Thank you for reminding me." He got out his phone and dialed the bar's number. He had no doubt that's where his mother would be, as she basically lived there now.

"Hello?" Roxie's voice was flat on the other end of the line.

"Mom?" He said. "It's me, Joey."

"Joey!" Roxie's voice suddenly became more animated. "Why the hell has it taken you so long to call me? You had me worried sick! I thought you were dead or something!"

"Sorry," Joey apologized. "Really. I swear I'm fine."

"Well, good," Roxie replied. "Are you-are you and Diana having a good time?"

"It's nice," Joey replied. "I like traveling. How's business?"

"Great," Roxie replied. "Business booming as usual." She paused. "Well, if you have somewhere you need to be, I won't keep you. I just am glad to know you're not dead."

"It was nice to talk to you, Mom," Joey told her. "I love you."

"I love you too," Roxie replied, trying not to cry. "Goodbye, Joey."

"Goodbye, Mom," Joey said. "I'll call in a couple of days, all right?"

"Oh, and one more thing," Roxie said. "Tell Diana 'Hi' from me, all right?"

"Sure I will," Joey replied. "And I swear I'll call again in a few days."

"You don't even need to call," Roxie replied. "Just a text or something would be all right. But your dad thinks I'm worrying too much, so I guess you can do whatever you want."

"All right, Mom," Joey replied with a grin. "I'll talk to you again in a couple of days."

"Thank you, Joey," Roxie replied, and ended the call before going to help Vince, who was bringing up cases of beer from the storage room.

"You look happy," he remarked. "Joey call?"

"Yes," Roxie nodded. "And he's not dead!"

"I told you he wouldn't be," Vince said, putting the beer down and taking her in his arms. "Didn't I tell you?"

"Yeah, you did," Roxie nodded and leaned against him. "Thank you."

"Anyone need anything?" Addie asked, coming upon her parents. "Or can I go home?"

"Your brother called," Roxie told her.

"He did?" Addie asked. "Good."

"And you can go home," Vince told her. "Everything else that needs to be done, your mother and I can handle."

"And you look exhausted," Roxie noted. "I'm sorry for that. You don't have to perform with Sam tonight if you don't want to."

"Yeah, thanks," Addie replied. "I think I'll take you up on that offer."

"Take care of yourself," Vince told her.

"All right, Daddy," Addie said as she fished her keys out of her pocket. "You too."

* * *

><p>"Long day at work?" Sam asked Addie as she came through the bedroom door looking exhausted.<p>

"Yeah," Addie nodded, coming to sit next to him on the bed. "Listening to Mom freak out about Joey being gone is _not_ easy. Thank god he finally called so she could relax."

"Does it-does it bother you that she doesn't worry about you that way?" Sam asked.

"No," Addie shrugged. "Not really. I like doing stuff by myself without Mom being too much in my business." She paused. "What about you and Grandma?"

"She tries," Sam replied. "I give her credit for that. But I've kind of accepted over the years that I'm not someone she can focus on every minute."

"Well, that's what you have me for," Addie said, coming to sit next to him. She threw his arms around him and kissed him. "You have me," she repeated.

Sam kissed her and eased her onto the mattress. "You have me too." They began kissing and when they finally came up for air, Addie said, "Would you mind doing the show alone tonight? I'm really tired and Mom said I could have the night off if I wanted."

"Well, sure," Sam replied. "I was just gonna suggest that." He got off the bed and tucked Addie in. "Now, you sleep," he said.

"I'm not sleepy," Addie replied, her eyes drooping.

"Yeah, sure," Sam whispered with a chuckle. "Whatever." He turned off the light and shut the bedroom door. Then, he sat in the kitchen alone, drinking beer and looking out the window as the sky began to darken. He'd never really given thought to the fact that he never saw much of his mother. As he'd told Addie, it was something that he'd always just accepted. She'd wanted to keep him and Lucy together at first, but his father had wanted him so bad, he'd taken Sam away. He couldn't fault his father for that.

The ringing of the phone interrupted his musings, making him jump and spill beer all over the table. He swore, wiped it up quickly, and then went to answer the phone. "Yes?" He said.

"It's me," Damon replied. "I was just thinking that maybe you could ride down with me to the bar tonight so I could see your set."

"Okay," Sam replied. "That would be nice. Especially since Addie's taking the night off to rest. I could use the company."

"And you'll be happy to know that you won't have to share the car with Lucy," Damon said. "She met with some new gallery owner and they went out to dinner, so I'm on my own too."

"In that case, maybe after the show we could go out and have dinner?" Sam asked. "I know it's too much to hope for to have Mom come too, but just you and me? That would be nice."

"Sure," Damon nodded. "Do you want me to drive you, or would you prefer to drive me?"

Sam thought a moment. "Why don't you drive me?" He said.

"All right," Damon replied. "I'll see you in a couple of hours, then."

"Wait!" Sam replied before his father could hang up. "Addie's asleep, so...you wanna come over now and we can have a few beers and...maybe throw a football around?"

Damon chuckled. "After having a few beers? That'll be interesting, wouldn't it?"

"You know what I mean!" Sam said.  
>"Yeah, I do," Damon replied. "Don't worry. Sure, I could come early. I'll be there in a bit."<p>

"Thanks," Sam replied. "Bye, Dad."

"Bye, Sam," Damon replied, and ended the call.


	47. Getting Off The Fast Track

"Okay," Edward said as he came into the kitchen where Laura and Charlie were both eating cereal. "Here's the letter from the preschool, telling us whether or not Charlie got in." He handed it to Laura. "You open it. I'm too nervous."

"Even if he gets in, I still don't know if I want him to go," Laura replied as she opened it. "I have reservations."

"Why?" Edward asked. "It's a great school!"

"Yeah, if you want Charlie going to Harvard or something," Laura replied, pulling the letter out. She unfolded it and read it over. "He got in," She said, looking disappointed as Edward hopped up and down, yelling in a way that was very unlike him.

"Don't be disappointed!" He said when he saw Laura's face. "Be happy!"

"I don't think I will," Laura replied, finishing her cereal and dumping the bowl in the sink. "I think I'm gonna go read in our room while you and Charlie celebrate." Edward nodded, but instead of going to their room, Laura went to see her parents instead.

* * *

><p>"What's the matter?" Elijah asked Laura as she came through the door. "Are you and Edward fighting?"<p>

"Not really," Laura sighed and sat heavily on the sofa. "I'm just...I'm just worried."

"Why?" Selina asked. "What happened?"

"Charlie got into that fancy schmancy preschool Edward wants to send him to. Next, it'll be private schools and then Harvard, if Edward has his way," Laura replied, looking distraught. "I mean, I know that in theory it's a good path for him and will give him lots of opportunities, but it just...it feels wrong. If he goes off and becomes a super genius, where does that put me in his life? I'll be the only one of us who never went to college or whatever and I'll just feel like I don't belong. I know it's selfish to make all of this about me, and hold Charlie back, but..." She sighed, and then looked up at her father. "Daddy, will you talk to Edward? Please? He's too happy to listen to me."

Elijah eyed Selina and then told his daughter, "I'll think about it. But I'm not sure it's my place. I think...I think it might be better if you sat down with Edward and talked to him yourself."

"Really?" Laura asked. "Can't you help me? Please? Edward will listen to you. He's not listening to me."

Elijah gazed at his daughter's sad face and felt himself soften. Then, he looked at Selina, who just barely shook her head.

"Have you tried...have you tried talking to Edward about this since you both got the news?" Elijah got out. "Or did you just come straight over here?"

"I just came straight over here," Laura replied. "But-"

"Go back home and talk to Edward, and if you're still having problems with him, then you can come back, all right?" Elijah told her and gave her a hug. "But Edward is a good man. I'm sure that once you explain things to him, he'll listen."

"All right," Laura sighed at last when she realized that her father wasn't gonna help her. "I'll-I'll go home and talk to Edward. Even though it'll make hm really unhappy."

"Well, your feelings matter too," Selina reminded her daughter. "You don't have to be miserable just to make him happy. I'm sure he wouldn't like it if he knew you felt this way."

"All right," Laura responded. "I'll just go."

She left and then Selina turned to Elijah. "I don't believe it," she told him in amazement.

"Believe what?" Elijah asked.

"Well," Selina replied, "Laura came in here wanting help with Edward and you didn't do anything for her."

"I know," Elijah replied. "I know I'm a terrible father, and I should have said something, but-"

"No!" Selina shook her head and kissed him. "You did exactly the right thing, even though it was probably really hard for you. I'm so_ proud!"_

"Oh, yes?" Elijah grinned and cleared his throat. "Well, yes. It was _awfully_ hard for me. Might I have some sort of reward for my good behavior?"

Selina just smiled and put her arms around him. "You are a _very_ sneaky man, sir."

"Well," Elijah grinned and picked her up to carry her to their bedroom, "you _do_ learn a trick or two after being around a thousand years."

They reached the bedroom, Elijah got her inside, and closed the door, then they stripped, and made love without stopping until it was time for Selina to pick everyone up from school.

* * *

><p>Laura came back and saw Edward and Charlie playing. They looked like they were having a good time and she didn't want to ruin the moment, but her mother was right. If she didn't feel good about this, she had to say something.<p>

She cleared her throat and then Edward looked up. "Laura!" He said, and both he and Charlie got up to run to her, only Charlie fell en route. "How were your parents?" Edward asked after he picked Charlie up.

"They're fine," Laura replied. "Edward, we have to talk."

"What about?" Edward asked, looking concerned. He could tell from her tone that it wasn't something good.

"Okay, look," Laura replied after taking a deep breath. "I don't want Charlie to go to the fancy preschool. I know you're excited and I know that it'll help him get into Harvard, or whatever, but I don't want him to go. I'm sorry if that makes me selfish, but it's how I feel." She paused. "And he'll still be able to get into Harvard if we send him to a regular school that doesn't require him to know five million languages to get in. Please?"

Edward gave her a long look. "You really feel strongly about this?" He asked.

"Yes," Laura nodded. "I have since you first suggested we have Charlie apply there."

"I know," Edward nodded. "I just...I guess I never took it seriously, and I'm sorry. I guess I was too busy thinking about how great it would be having a son on the fast track that I didn't pay attention to what you wanted. I'm sorry, Laura."

"It's all right," Laura replied. "I'm not mad at you."

"How could you not be?" Edward asked, feeling guilty. "I think...I think I need to go out and take a drive. You play with Charlie and I'll be back in a bit."

Laura picked Charlie up and followed Edward to the door, watching him crumple up the acceptance letter in his fist and throw it in the trash before taking the keys and driving away from the house. "You see?" She told Charlie. "This was exactly why I didn't say anything to your father about the preschool stuff, cause I knew it would upset him. And I was right, wasn't I?"

* * *

><p>"I feel horrible," Edward said as he strode into Gregory and Katherine's house. "I'm surprised your sister doesn't hate me."<p>

"Why?" Gregory asked. "What happened?"

Edward sighed. "I wanted to send Charlie to this really exclusive preschool, and he got in, but it made Laura feel awful and I was just so happy that Charlie was succeeding that I didn't see how it made Laura feel. Or at least didn't want to admit it."

"Well, you've talked about it now, right?" Gregory asked.

"Yeah, we have," Edward nodded. "We decided to send him to a regular preschool, cause Laura assured me that even if he just goes to a normal preschool, it's still possible for him to get into Harvard." He paused. "Have you thought about Elizabeth's future?"

"Yes," Gregory nodded. "We're sending her to a typical preschool too. She has a few little friends, which really surprises me, and I think she's doing well."

"Good," Edward nodded. "Good."

Just then Elizabeth came in, her face brightening when she saw Edward. "Where's Charlie?" She asked with a wide grin.

"I didn't bring him," Edward told her. "He's back at home with his mom."

Elizabeth heard this and turned to her father. "Can I go play with Charlie, Daddy?" She asked.

"Well," Gregory looked at Edward. "Would that be all right?"

Edward thought a moment and then nodded. "It might do Charlie some good."

Just then, Katherine came in. "Ready to go get our hair done, Elizabeth?" She asked her daughter. "It'll make you really pretty."

"Okay, just a minute," Elizabeth told Katherine. "I have to go with Mommy," she told Edward. "Then I'll come and see Charlie, if that's okay."

Edward nodded. "Of course," he said. "I'll let Laura know you're coming."

Elizabeth and Katherine left and Edward called Laura. "Elizabeth wants to come and see Charlie," he said. "And I assume that it will be Katherine who brings her over. I just wanted to warn you."

"Well, thanks," Laura replied. "Thanks a lot." She ended the call and sighed. "I have to prepare myself," she told Charlie. "Elizabeth is coming. Katherine is bringing her."

"'Lizabeth?" Charlie asked, his face brightening. "Yay!"

"You like her, don't you?" Laura asked, picking him up and taking him down to her salon in the basement. "Let's make you look really cool before she comes."

* * *

><p>Laura heard the doorbell ring just as she finished coloring Charlie's hair. She brought him up and opened the door. "Hi," she said to both Katherine and Elizabeth. The latter's eyes were wide and her jaw was dropped. "What did you do to his <em>hair<em>?" She asked, reaching out to touch it. "It's _purple!"_

"I just thought it would be fun," Laura shrugged as Elizabeth and Katherine came in the house. "It looks like you got your hair done today too," she noted. "You look pretty, Elizabeth."

"Thank you," Elizabeth nodded. "It was Mommy's idea."

That's when Laura finally noticed Katherine. "You don't have to stay," she said. "I'm sure you having things you'd much rather be doing."

Katherine sighed. "Look," she said. "I know you hate me. I know your mother hates me. I know we've never really gotten along. But what do you say we try...for the kids' sake?" She held out her hand, thinking that Gregory had made her go soft.

Laura stared at it as if Katherine were offering her a cobra, and then sighed. "All right," she said, taking Katherine's hand. "I'll agree to a truce. Just as long as we don't tell my mother. She might kill me."

"Oh, don't worry," Katherine replied. "She won't hear anything from me."


	48. Hitting The Road

Roxie ran to the door as Joey and Diana returned. "I'm so glad to see you!" She said, giving her son a big hug. "Did you two have a good time?"

"Yeah," Joey nodded. "It was great. Met a lot of interesting people."

"Good," Roxie nodded and gave Diana a look. "How many of them scolded you when they found out you're with a warlock?"

"None, really," Diana replied thoughtfully.

"And even if they were thinking about it, all they had to hear was that I was Enid's kid and they backed off," Joey said with a grin. "Those words made more magic than anything I could do."

"How did you handle the car?" Roxie asked. "Any crashes?"

"No," Joey shook his head. "Diana and I shared driving time, so I wasn't driving all by myself."

"Good," Roxie replied, and then turned to Diana. "Thank you for looking after my son."

"You're welcome," Diana replied. "Although he's a big boy and doesn't need any looking after."

"Yeah," Roxie nodded and fondly tousled her son's hair. "I'll remember that."

They then set to work for the day, even though Roxie insisted that they didn't need to since they'd just gotten back.

"You should go home and rest," Roxie said. "I'm sure people can survive without the valet service for at least one more day."

"No, it's fine," Joey replied.

"Yeah," Diana nodded. "We don't mind at all."

Everything seemed to be going well until, to both Joey and Diana's dismay, her father came striding into the bar. "Oh, my god," Diana said as she nearly crashed the car they were parking.

"What?" Joey asked. "What's the matter?"

"My dad just went into the bar!" Diana whispered in a panicked voice. "What if he came back to take me back home?"

"Relax, relax," Joey told her. "He could just be coming in for a drink, in which case, you're worrying for nothing."

But Joey's optimistic mindset was proven wrong when they went into the bar, and Diana's father immediately came over and grabbed her arm. "Here you are!" He growled. "I've been looking for you everywhere. How _dare_ you run away. And did you take Hayley with you as well?"

"Yes, we did!" Diana cried, trying not to wince. "We took her away because she deserves better than living as a subservient nobody to you!"

"Where is she?" Her father asked between his teeth, and gave Diana a shake.

"I'll never tell you," Diana replied, struggling in his tight grip. Then, she looked over her father's shoulder and saw a very angry Joey gathering what looked like a fireball of magic in his hands.

"Don't!" She cried as her father began choking her. "Joey, don't!"

But he threw the magic ball anyway, with a force that not only obliterated her father and caused Diana to topple to the floor, but it also broke several of the bottles of alcohol.

"Sorry," Joey apologized to his shocked mother as she and Vince, who arrived a few seconds later, began cleaning up the broken bottles and spilled spirits. Joey then helped Diana up. "Are you-are you all right?" He asked.

"Yeah," Diana nodded, massaging her throat. "I'm fine now. Thank you."

Joey tried to help her to her feet, but felt himself weaken, so that he ended up on his knees. "I could have lost you," he said. "What else would I have done? I hope you're not mad at me for killing your father."

"No," Diana replied. "He was not a nice man. The world is probably a better place without him, anyway."

"Good," Joey nodded and cleared his throat. "And now that we've gotten that out of the way, I've known you for awhile," he said. "And you're one of the sweetest people I've ever met. You've shown me that I can do anything when no one's ever done that for me before. I-I want to see the wold with you, Diana, and be with you for as long as I possibly can." She (and Roxie, who'd poked her head up from behind the bar) watched in amazement as Joey made a tiny gold ring appear. "Will you...will you marry me?" He asked.

"Really?" Diana said in shock as Vince came out from behind the bar to help him to his feet. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Joey replied. "I am. So...will you?"

"Yes!" Diana cried, took the ring, and put it on her finger. "Yes, I will!" The entire bar broke into applause as they hugged.

"Well," Vince said, going to get some champagne. "I think we need to celebrate this. "Who wants a drink?" He began pouring out a glass for everyone at the bar to do a toast, and then, with Roxie following (as Vince watched the bar), the pair left to be married by a justice of the peace, and plan they're next jaunt: a trip on their bikes around Europe.

* * *

><p>"Now that you're making great strides with Laura, what do you say you try with Tristan too?" Selina asked.<p>

"I don't know," Elijah replied. "We don't really have a lot in common, and he does seem to be doing perfectly fine without me. I mean, it was one thing when he was a small child, but..."

"Don't you think you should at least_ try_?" Selina asked.

Elijah sighed. "I guess you're right. What if he brings that human girl who's always following him around like a puppy?"

"Emily?" Selina asked, eyebrow raised. "Trust me, you don't have to be scared of Emily. She's the sweetest girl."

"I am _not_ scared of a human!" Elijah replied. "I'm just a little nervous, is all. It's been a long time since I've interacted long term with one."

"Well, I think Emily is a good person to start with, then," Selina replied. "I might have Margaret join us. She could benefit from spending more time with Emily as well."

Just then, the phone rang and Selina went to answer it. "Hello?"

"Mom," Roxie said, "It's Roxie. Joey and Diana just got married!"

"They _did?"_ Selina asked, jumping up and down a little. "We'll have to have a party for them at the bakery to celebrate. You just tell me when and I'll whip something up."

"All right," Roxie nodded. "They're gonna be biking across Europe or something for their honeymoon, but I'm sure they wouldn't say no to a party at the bakery afterward."

"Wonderful," Selina replied. "You tell them 'Congratulations' from me, won't you? You have no idea how great this marriage is. Granted, there'll be a lot of werewolves shocked to see a Talbot and a Lucas married, but I think...I think it's about time."

"All right, Mom," Roxie said. "I'll let you get back to whatever it is you're doing. I just wanted to call and let you know what happened."

"Well, thank you," Selina replied. "I appreciate it." She got off the phone and went back to Elijah. "So, what happened?" He asked. "Something important?"

"Roxie's son Joey and his girlfriend got married," Selina replied. "I'm gonna have a party for them when they get back from their honeymoon. Now, back to where we were before Roxie called...I think you'll have no trouble dealing with Emily."

"I have to disagree!" Elijah exclaimed. "Do you _really_ think it's a good idea to introduce a human to supernatural creatures like us? It could lead to nothing but unnecessary trouble."

"She knows about Henry being a warlock already, I think," Selina replied. "It'll be fine."

"Well, all right," Elijah sighed. "If you feel this is absolutely necessary."

"How come Dad wants to have dinner with me and Emily?" Tristan asked Selina a few nights later. "He never wants that!"

"Well, your father has realized that he needs to spend more time with you and get to know you better," Selina replied. "Get to know more about your life and the people you hang out with. That's why he wants to have this dinner with you and Emily."

"Oh," Tristan said in surprise, pushing his dark brown hair out of his eyes. "Okay. Emily's dad is gonna drop her off in a little bit."

"I know," Selina replied. "I talked to him. Do...do you have any nervousness about what's gonna happen tonight?"

"No," Tristan shook his head. "I'm fine."

"All right," Selina nodded. "I thought you would be. I should probably go see to your father, though. He won't be as fine." She went into her and Elijah's bedroom and found ties and suit separates thrown everywhere. "What in the world is going on?" Selina asked. "Our room is a mess!"

"I'm trying to pick the right outfit!" Elijah replied, coming out with his shirt buttoned funny, his tie askew, and his pants unzipped. "What do you think?"

"I think you need to relax," Selina said and came to kiss him. "You're working yourself up way too much. It's just a dinner. There won't be an angry mob with pitchforks coming to our door and screaming 'Vampire!' afterward. Emily is just a very sweet girl."

"Can I come in?" Margaret called from the hallway. Selina sighed as Elijah headed back into the closet. She let Margaret in and Margaret asked Selina, "Is this dress okay, or should I change again?"

"Oh, my god," Selina rolled her eyes. "You're being as ridiculous about this as your father."

"I just want to look pretty," Margaret replied. "Is that so wrong? And why didn't you let me invite Henry?"

"I never said you couldn't invite Henry," Selina replied. "In fact, if it'll make you behave yourself, I'm all for it."

Henry then appeared a minute or so later. "See?" He said to Margaret. "I_ told _you I would be allowed to come!"

Margaret was surprised to see that Henry was dressed pretty neatly. "You look nice," she said with approval and gave a twirl. "What do you think of this dress?"

"i like it," Henry replied. "Don't change."

"All right," Margaret said and led him to the dinner table. Once they'd gone, Selina headed back to the closet. "You need my help?" She called. "And don't worry about your clothes anymore. Just come out in whatever you're wearing now, and I'm sure it'll be great."

"Oh, all right," Elijah replied, emerging from the closet in a navy suit and a light blue tie, just as the doorbell rang.

"Is that her?" He asked, his body tensing and his eyes wide.

"Yes, it's her," Selina replied. "Just relax, would you?" Elijah nodded, straightened his tie, and then he and Selina went to answer the door. Emily's father stood on the other side holding Emily's hand. "Hello, Emily, Jack," Selina greeted them both. "This is my husband Elijah. Welcome to our home."

"Thank you," Emily replied, her brown eyes sparkling as she went to meet Tristan, Margaret, and Henry.

Elijah watched Emily's father with suspicion for a short while before Selina elbowed him and he stuck out his hand to shake the human's. "Wonderful to meet you," he got out. "I hear your daughter is a very nice girl."

"Well, thank you," Jack replied. "That's always something you worry about as a single parent, but Emily's not been any trouble her whole life. And she's all I have. I don't know what I would do if something happened to her."

"Well, here's hoping that nothing will, then," Selina replied and went to get the roast out of the oven.

Once dinner was all set up, and everyone was comfortable at the table, Selina looked at Elijah. "Since you need to get to know some people better at this table, why don't _you_ begin the conversation, dear?"

"All right," Elijah replied and cleared his throat, meeting Emily's eyes. He asked her a bunch of basic questions, like what subjects she liked in school, and what her favorite color was, stumbling over all his words.

"Are you all right?" Emily asked.

"Yes," Elijah nodded. "I'm fine."

"He just doesn't talk to people much," Selina told her.

"Oh," Emily nodded. "All right. This roast is really good."

"Thank you," Selina replied as the rest of the table nodded in agreement. Elijah made a little bit more small talk, but as soon as the dishes were being cleared, he bolted and shut himself in his office.

Selina sighed and excused herself. "Elijah?" She called as she knocked on the office door. "Come on out! Dinner isn't over yet!"

"Yes, it is!" Elijah called back. "At least for me. I can't take anymore! Can't you at least give me credit for trying?"

Selina sighed. "Oh, all right, you big baby," she said. "Stay in your office. I'll just go tell Emily and her dad you have a stomach bug or something."

"Thank you," Elijah called back. "And it's not like Emily's gonna care anyway when she has Tristan to entertain her."

Selina rolled her eyes. "I'm leaving," she said. "You enjoy being holed up in there like a coward."

"I will," Elijah replied as she walked away. "Thank you."

* * *

><p>"All right," Sam said as he and Addie went into the bar. "Go ahead and do it."<p>

"I don't know if I want to," Addie replied. "What if Mom thinks I'm being stupid?"

"Of course she won't," Sam replied. "She's your mom. She'll understand. And now with Joey gone, it's the perfect time to ask."

"Okay," Addie replied. "But remember what the deal was: you had to go see Grandma too."

"I know, I know," Sam nodded and pushed Addie in Roxie's direction before sniggering to himself. "Grandma," he said with a grin. "It's unbelievable."

Addie cautiously approached the bar where her mother was cleaning out glasses and cleared her throat. Roxie turned. "Addie!" She said and came to meet her. "I wasn't expecting you and Sam here so early."

"Well, I just wanted to talk," Addie said. "And you'll probably think that what I'm about to say is stupid, but...I want you to try and spend time with me and fuss over me like you do with Joey. Not so much of course, but even just a little would be good. Can you do that?"

"Well, yes," Roxie replied, coming around the bar to hug her. "I'm-I'm sorry you feel like you even have to tell me something like this, but I'm glad you did."

"Don't get me wrong," Addie replied. "I _know_ why you felt you needed to give Joey more attention, because of his leg and everything, but I figure that since he's gone and married now, that will free up a lot of your time."

"It will," Roxie nodded. "I've actually been bored since your brother left."

"Really?" Addie asked with a grin. "Running a bar by yourself not taking up enough of your time?"

"Oh, it takes up a lot of time," Roxie replied. "But I'll-I'll still have time for you. What would you like to do first?"

"I don't know," Addie replied. Then she paused and gave her mother a hug, just as Sam pulled out his phone and gave Selina a call. "Hello, Mom?" He said when she answered. "It's Sam. Could we do something sometime?"


	49. Getting A Hobby

Edward drove up to the preschool building, sighed, and parked while Laura got out and picked up Charlie, before setting him down on the sidewalk and taking his hand. "Are you scared?" She asked her son, whose hair she'd styled special for his first day in a wild, all over the place fashion. "Do you want me to stay at preschool with you?" They had just had his fourth birthday a few days before, and the new year of his life had changed him.

"No, thank you," he said. "I can go by myself."

"Are you sure?" Laura asked. "Cause I'd be more than happy to be with you if you're scared."

"I'm not scared!" Charlie said. "You can go!"

"Well, all right," Laura sighed. She walked him into the school building and his teacher met them at the door. "Hello, I'm Miss Pryce," said the young woman. She wore a modest red dress and had curly blonde hair. "Who do we have here?"

"I'm Charlie," Charlie said. "And this is my mommy." Miss Pryce consulted her list. "Charlie Emerson," she said with a grin. "Welcome, Charlie."

"Thank you," Charlie replied and ran into the room with all the toys. "Bye," Laura called to him, but he didn't respond.

"Are you going to be all right, Mrs. Emerson?" Miss Pryce asked, putting a hand on Laura's arm. "You can stay if you want. You're not the first parent to have trouble."

"No, thanks," Laura shook her head. "Charlie needs to do this himself. I'll be back in a few hours to pick him up." She then left and got in the car with Edward. "You got back a lot sooner than I thought you would," he said. "Wanna go home?"

Laura nodded. "Yes, please," she said.

They went home and Laura met with some clients, then looked for salon space while Edward headed off to class.

Laura puttered around the house aimlessly until he returned, and then he tried to cheer her up by taking her to bed, but even _that_ failed to distract her completely.

"Okay, how long until we can go pick up Charlie?" She asked, peering at the clock as she pulled away from him.

"We still have half an hour!" Edward told her. "If you just relax, it'll make the time go faster."

"Well, half an hour is still a long time!" Laura pointed out. "What are we supposed to do until then?"

"Well," Edward said, grinning and stroking her stomach. "I have a few ideas, as long as we're here."

Laura looked at Edward's hopeful gaze and sighed. He seemed so happy and she really didn't want to wreck this for him. She sighed and managed to relax as she and Edward occupied themselves with sex until it was time to pick Charlie up from school.

* * *

><p>When they reached the school again, Laura didn't even wait for Edward to stop the car before she opened the door, bounded out, and grabbed her son as he flooded out of the school building with the other children. "How was your first day?" She asked him. "Was it fun?"<p>

"Yes!" Charlie nodded, his eyes bright. "I can't wait to go again tomorrow!"

"Well, I'm glad you like it," Laura replied. "That's good." Then, Charlie gave her a kiss and said, "If you want to stay at school with me tomorrow, it's okay."

"No, it's not," Laura told him. "You're a big boy now, and if you feel like you can go to preschool by yourself, I respect that."

"But you were so sad!" Charlie pointed out.

"I know I was, but that was because you're growing up," Laura replied. "But I'll get used to it, and not be sad some time."

"All right," Charlie replied. He got in the car and they drove home. Charlie put his bag by the door and begged his mother to dial Katherine and Gregory's number so he could tell Elizabeth about his great first day at preschool.

* * *

><p>Sam proceeded Addie into the house and then once she was inside, shut the door behind her.<p>

"It was a good show, as always," she complimented him.

"I couldn't have done it without your help," he replied.

"And it was nice of your parents to come," Addie said.

"You mean my dad and your grandma," Sam replied with a wink.

"Right," Addie nodded. "Well, tomayto, tomahto." She paused. "You know how my mom is always saying that you deserve better gigs than just playing her small club every night?"

"Yeah," Sam nodded. "What about it?"

"Well, have you ever thought of, you know, taking the next step forward?" Addie asked. "Do you want to try and get a record deal?"

"I don't know," Sam replied. "I mean, you just started bonding with your mom and I don't want to wreck that for you."

"Oh, I can come with you and help you get a record deal _and _bond with my mom," Addie replied. "Don't worry about it." She then zapped up two plan tickets to California. "So," she said with a glint in her eye. "You wanna go, or not?"

"Yes!" Sam replied enthusiastically. "But I don't know about that whole record deal thing. I tried that once before and it didn't exactly work out for me."

"All right, so we won't go looking for a record deal," Addie shrugged. "We could just travel, like what Joey and Diana are doing."

"And we can do that, eventually," Sam was back tracking now. "Why don't we just take a short trip first, see what's out there, and then do the big trip later."

"Are you sure that's what you want?" Addie asked. "Cause if you're still concerned that us leaving will get in the way of my bonding with my mother, it won't."

Sam sighed. "Actually, I want to stay here and see if I can get somewhere with my dad. I ran off after he got with Lucy cause it made me uncomfortable, but now...now I think we could actually get somewhere, but that won't happen if we leave."

"All right," Addie replied. "Sure. Whatever you want."

"Are you disappointed?" Sam asked.

"No," Addie shook her head. "Of course not. I love you and want you to do whatever you think will make you happy."

"You...you love me?" Sam asked, looking amazed.

"Yeah," Addie nodded. "I do." She seemed a little surprised that she'd said it out loud.

"It's weird," Sam said. "No one's told me that in a long time. Not Mom or Dad or anyone."

"Really?" Addie replied and kissed him. "Well, I'm happy to be the first person to say it to you in awhile."

"Yeah, and it just means more coming from you," Sam replied, taking her in his arms. "Cause you don't have anyone else to pay attention to. You can just focus on me."

"Exactly," Addie nodded. Then she cleared her throat. "Now, enough of this sappiness. What do you say we go take a bath? My back is killing me."

"All right," Sam told her. "You go and run it, and I'll be there in a minute."

* * *

><p>"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you," Selina said to Elijah. "I'm going out of town this weekend."<p>

"_Why_?" Elijah asked in a panicked voice, then tried to relax his tone. "I mean, what are you going to be doing?"

"Oh, there's a confectioner's convention a few hours from here that I think would be good for me to go to," she said. "I'll maybe get some new recipes, meet some famous pastry chefs, learn about new baking equipment, it'll be great."

"Yes," Elijah sighed. "I suppose it will."

"You'll be all right by yourself for a couple of days," Selina encouraged him. "Think about the ways you occupied your time before you met me."

"Well, it was mostly with hunting with my father," Elijah replied. "But now, he apparently doesn't need me anymore."

"And that's a good thing!" Selina said.

"I really need a hobby, don't I?" Elijah asked with a sigh."

"Oh, don't worry, you'll find one," Selina told him and kissed his head. "And remember, I won't be gone forever." She paused and her eyes lit up. "Why don't you write your memoirs or something?" She asked. "That would take up a lot of your time."

"Why would I do something as ridiculous as that?" Elijah asked. "No one would take it seriously."

"Well, maybe, but they would still take it as really imaginative fiction and you'd sell copies by the truckloads!" Selina said. "I could call Ethan and see if he'd be willing to publish it for you."

"No, I don't want to be published," Elijah sighed. "The stories of my life are things I'd rather keep to myself."

"Well, all right then," Selina nodded. "But you'll still write them?"

"Well, okay," Elijah shrugged. "I guess I will."

"Good," Selina nodded. "It's nice to know that you won't be puttering around the house bored all weekend."

* * *

><p>Once Elijah had told Selina goodbye, he went to his office and, as she had suggested, set things up to work on his memoirs. He had trouble figuring out where to start, but as the evening wore on, and he felt himself beginning to get needy. Remembering Selina wasn't around to satisfy his needs, he suddenly realized where he would begin in his memoirs, even though it wasn't the beginning of the story: The chapters about his past wives and mistresses. There were so many that he could barely remember them all, but he'd begin writing about the one he remembered most clearly: Katerina.<p>

_The first time they'd met, things hadn't ended well. He'd gotten attached to her, despite knowing that Niklaus had a vested interest in her, and in the end, she'd run away from him. But that hadn't been the last time he'd seen her. _

_As the years had gone on, he'd missed her, despite the fact that he'd never believed in love, and had had no intention of seriously letting himself get involved with her._

_But seeing her run off like that, knowing what danger she was in because of his devotion to his brother, that changed him, and was perhaps what had made him so desperate to save Selina by getting her on that boat out of Paris in 1929. However, he was drifting._

_The next time he saw Katerina had been in the early 1800s. It was in a much smaller English village where she was working as a barmaid in a tavern. Her very revealing outfit made her the target of hoots and hollers from the drunken patrons, and finally, after watching her put up with them for so long, he decided to step in, smacking a man's hand away as he reached for her bottom. "Don't you touch her!" He yelled, pulling her to himself._

_"Why not?" The man laughed. "That's what she's here for, isn't it?" His friends joined in the laughter as Elijah had hustled her out of the tavern and to his carriage. "You didn't have to do that," she said as the door closed behind her. "I could have handled myself."_

_"Well, you're very welcome," he said sarcastically. "You can't tell me you enjoyed working there."_

_"Well, thanks to your crazy brother, I have to stay hidden" she blurted out. Then her eyes widened and she began pulling at the carriage door. "What are you doing?" Elijah yelled as she got the door open and jumped out, even though the carriage was still moving. He jumped out after her and tried to shield her as much as he could, so she wouldn't hurt herself._

_"Why would you do such a stupid thing as that?" He scolded as he'd helped her to her feet. She pulled her hand away. "Get away from me!" She yelled. "You're just gonna hand me over to your brother so he can kill me!"_

_"Well, given that you're still here, can I presume that you're somehow a vampire or something?" Elijah asked._

_"Yes," Katerina had nodded. "I'm a vampire. I was told I wouldn't be useful to your brother that way."_

_"True," Elijah nodded. "And that will make him very upset."_

_"Oh, it shouldn't," she replied. "He'll still have a doppleganger to help him change over. It just won't be me. She won't be born for awhile yet, though. How patient is your brother?"_

_"Patience is not one of his strong suits," he replied dryly. "If he could find you, he would probably still kill you, alternate doppleganger available or not." He then looked around. "We can't just stay here like this. We need to find somewhere to go to bed for the night."_

_"If you think I need your help, you're wrong," Katerina replied. "I've not depended on anyone for years and I have no intention of starting now."_

_"All right," Elijah replied, putting his hands up. "Tell me then, just where you intend to stay."_

_"I'll find some place," Katerina said, starting to walk away from him. "So long." But then it began to rain, and she had no choice but to stick with him. They found a cottage whose residents were willing to give them shelter for the night. They didn't have any extra beds, so he and Katerina were given mats to lie in front of the fire. Despite his efforts not to, he couldn't take his eyes off of her as she undressed. Just in her corset, she'd turned around and grinned wickedly at him._

_"It's not nice to stare," she said with a grin._

_"Oh, I'm sorry," he said._

_"Don't wory," Katerina replied. "I like it. Now, would you unlace me?"_

_He got up on shaky legs and crossed the cabin floor to unlace her corset and help her off with it, then she turned around, grinning at him, nearly naked. She stripped off the rest of her undergarments and said, "That's much more comfortable, I think." She looked at him appealingly. "Don't you?"_

_"I-I-I-think so," Elijah got out, fumbling as he undressed himself. She came to help him, picking up the night gown their hostess had left for her, crinkling her nose, and tossing it aside. "Much better," she said as she looked him over._

_"It's warm in here," she said. "Don't you think?"_

_"Yes, but we're righ near a fire," Elijah replied, his gaze slipping down to her breasts. She took his hand and placed it over one of them. It was warm and fit perfectly in his hand. Then, she leaned forward and kissed him, running her fingers through his hair as his hands slid down from her breasts, over her stomach that was glistening with sweat, and to the more secret places on her body, which caused her to moan. Then, he pushed into her, putting a hand over her mouth to stifle her screams, so as not to alarm their hosts. Eventually, they fell asleep in a heap on top of each other, and woke up early the next morning. Dressing quickly, they left a note for their hosts along with some money, and left. He'd decided upon waking that he'd have to keep a close eye on her, because regardless of what she'd said about there being another doppleganger out there for his brother, Niklaus might still come after her, and after the night they'd just shard, he wasn't going to let that happen._

Elijah then put his pen down. That was a good start. Now he needed to find a place to store it where no one would accidentally come across it, _especially_ not Selina. They'd just begun a fragile truce, and this, if anything, would ruin it for sure.


	50. A New Life Story

"So..." Selina said as she came into the house and Elijah took her bags. "How did things go while I was gone? You didn't miss me too much, I hope?"

"Oh, I missed you," Elijah replied. "But I found ways to occupy myself."

"Did you do your memoirs like I suggested?" Selina asked.

"Yes, I started them," Elijah nodded.

"Really?" Selina asked eagerly. "Can I-can I see? There's so much about your life I'd like to know."

"Ah-ah-ah," Elijah shook his head. "You can't see a single thing until I'm done."

"Oh, come on!" Selina whined. "Not even just a _little_ peek?"

"No," Elijah said curtly.

But Selina couldn't help herself, and when Elijah had gone out to visit Klaus, she went into his office and looked in the drawer where he'd kept the drafts of his Miss Stinson and Mr. Richmond scenes when he'd still thought of them as private. Sure enough, there was a stack of paper. She flipped a few pages. "Now, let's see what he wrote..." she said to herself. After several lines, however, she felt her temper flaring. What she'd just read were very detailed accounts of her husband's relationship with Katherine!

When the door opened, she put the papers on the desk, and sat in the chair with her back to the door, turning around when Elijah entered. "So, about your memoirs," she said, standing up. "Where's the part where you tell all the steamy stuff about _me_? Or am I not memorable enough compared to Katherine to be worthy of being in your _stupid_ book?" Elijah's eyes then widened as she began tearing up the pages. Elijah finally managed to grab her by the wrist and salvage a page or two, but there wasn't much left of what he'd writen over the weekend.

"What the hell did you do that for?" He asked her. "You told me to write my memoirs, and it should go without saying that my relationships will be part of them."

"Well, I know that," Selina replied. "But the least you could do is start with _our_ relationship. After all, I _am_ your wife."

"And I'll put our relationship in there," Elijah assured her as he looked around the office at the scraps of paper in dismay. "But if I'm going to go in chronological order, the section on _us_ will be toward the end!"

"But why did you write about your relationship with Katherine before anything else?" Selina asked, hands on her hips. "I'm sure she wasn't the first woman you were with."

"Well, no, of course not," Elijah replied with a scowl as he picked up the scraps of paper and threw them in his waste basket. "My time with Katerina was just what I could remember the most."

Selina made a sound like a buzzer and shook her head. "Try again," she said. "That's a _terrible_ excuse."

"Well, maybe I don't feel like I have to give you any excuses," Elijah replied. "They're _my_ damn memoirs and I will write in them whatever the fuck I want. You're being a spoiled child and making a fuss about something that's in the past and doesn't affect our relationship at all."

Selina heard this and burst out laughing. "Oh, and look at the pot calling the kettle black," she said. "You can't even let me alone with either of my exes (who are in fact involved with other women) but when I get upset about Katherine, you call me spoiled and childish. Have a good look in the mirror, would you?" She then scoffed. "You know what I'm gonna do now? I'm gonna make sure you never think about Katherine again!"

"Oh?" Elijah's eyebrow raised. "And just how do you intend to do that?"

She went and got a thing of matches, lit one, and said, "that's for me to know, and for you," she blew it out, "to find out." She then left the office. Elijah tried to ignore her as he picked up the rest of the scraps of his memoirs to throw them away, but his curiosity got the best of him, and he went to the bedroom, opening the door to see that the lights had been dimmed and the room was lit with candles.

"I know it's not a fire in a cottage in the English countryside," Selina said as she stood in the bathroom doorway, wearing a dark purple bra and panty set. "But it's the best I could do on short notice." She went into the room, got on the bed, picked up one of the candles from behind her, and let some of the hot wax drip on her body as she sighed.

Elijah stood there watching her while she did it, and then, after she removed her bra, she patted the space beside her on the mattress. "Wanna join me for an unforgettable evening?" She asked. "Something that will _actually_ be entertaining for the people who read your memoirs?" She began running her hands lightly over her breasts and that made Elijah remove his coat and unbutton his shirt and his pants before tossing them aside and coming to join her on the bed. "Good choice," she said with a grin, rolling over and coming to kiss him.

"Oh, don't be so surprised," Elijah replied. "It's been two days. I have needs."

"Me too," Selina nodded, kissing his chest as her dark hair brushed over it. "When I was undressing to go to bed at the hotel, it felt unnatural that there was no one else in the room watching me with a really hot gaze. Was it the same for you?" She began kissing his neck.

Elijah got her underneath him and removed her panties before he kissed her and pushed into her. As she held onto him tightly, her nails in his back, he kissed the spot on her neck that always made her tingle, and then entered her a few more times until she could no longer get a breath.

"Wow," she said, running her fingers through her hair when they pulled apart. "You really _have_ missed me over the last couple of days, haven't you?"

"Well, physically I have," he said. "But your behavior, I haven't missed that at all."

Selina grinned. "Well, as an apology, want me to tell you a secret?"

"Fine," Elijah replied. "What is it?"

"I haven't taken my pills in three days," Selina giggled. "We just had sex, and I wasn't protected. You know what that means, don't you?" She got up to go to the bathroom, leaving a shocked Elijah to consider what she'd just told him, and wonder if she was lying or not.

* * *

><p>"Why does your dad make that face every time he looks at us?" Margaret asked Henry. Ever since Lenora and James had forced the people of Future World industries to show them Susanna and Henry's futures, James had been very skittish about having Henry and Margaret in the same room.<p>

"I don't know," Henry shrugged. "He went to this place where they showed you the future, and when he came back, he was weird all of a sudden."

They went to ask Lenora. "Mom," Henry said after he let Margaret in the room first, "Why is Dad all weird about me and Margaret? He's never been before."

"It just shocked him is all," Lenora replied. "Seeing the future. Yours more than Susanna's, oddly enough."

"Do I do something bad?" Henry asked. "Do I become a criminal? Does he have to arrest me?"

"Not exactly," Lenora replied.

"Are they asking about Henry's future?" James asked Lenora. "Tell them everything! It might stop it from happening!"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," Lenora told him. "It's not as bad as it could be. Yes, what Henry will do is a little self-serving, but he means well!"

"What happens?" Henry asked.

"Never mind," James replied curtly and went out to the ship.

Once he was gone, Henry looked at Lenora. "What happens?" He repeated. "Does it have to do with me and Margaret?"

"Yes," Lenora sighed and admitted it. "It does. In the future, you two...you end up together, apparently."

"We _do_?" Henry asked. "Did you hear that, Maggie? We're gonna be together when we're older!"

"But why would James think that's a bad thing?" Margaret asked Lenora.

"That's something I don't think would be wise to tell you," Lenora replied. "It'll be something you have to see for yourselves." She then went to comfort her distraught husband.

"What do you think I do that's so bad that it makes my dad upset?" Henry asked Margaret.

"I don't know," Margaret shrugged. "But whatever it is would probably make _my_ father upset too."

Henry sighed. "I was supposed to go see Emily today, but she got sick. I told Mom that I wanted to heal her and make her better, but Mom wouldn't let me. She says it's against the rules."

"Well, it's good you're not doing it then," Margaret replied. "Whatever she has, I'm sure it's nothing that she can't recover from."

"What if it _wasn't_ something she could recover from, though?" Henry asked. "I like Emily, although not as much as you, don't worry. And I don't like the idea of her dying when I could help make her better."

"Would you just relax?" Margaret asked. "You're being over dramatic. She's not gonna die. She probably just has the flu, or something."

"What do _you_ know about being sick?" Henry asked. "Cause you're a vampire, you've never been sick a day in your life!"

"But I still know what sicknesses will kill you and which ones won't," Margaret replied. "If Emily didn't say she has one of the killer sicknesses, she'll get better. Now let's go and clean your room. It's a mess!"

"We probably get married in the future," Henry sighed as he followed after her. "But I feel like I'm married to you already."

* * *

><p>Because he still had reservations about whether or not Selina had been telling the truth about taking her pills or not, Elijah watched her very closely for the next couple of weeks, and when she asked him to take the kids to school cause she was too tired and full of pain to get out of bed, he grinned to himself when she wasn't looking. When he got home, he found her, pale, tired, and miserable, climbing back into bed.<p>

"What's the matter?" Elijah asked, trying not to grin. "Does your stomach feel bad?"

"You know damn well my stomach feels bad," Selina grumbled and then groaned. "I wouldn't have made you take the kids to school if I didn't feel like absolute shit."

"On the bright side, Henry was very well-behaved this time," Elijah told her and sat down next to her on the bed, running his hand over her back. "Can I get you anything?"

"No, I just wanna sleep," Selina replied. "This baby is sucking the life out of me."

"Baby?" Elijah asked, brightening more openly this time. "You're really pregnant?"

"Yeah," Selina nodded. "I left the pregnancy test by the sink if you wanna look at it." Then she sat up, hopped out of bed, and ran to the bathroom to throw up. "Sorry," she said when she came out. "Here's the test for you to look at."

She handed it to him and it definitely said "Pregnant."

"Oh, my god," Elijah said, feeling himself choking up. "You can't fake something like this. It's _real._"

"If I'm faking this," Selina said, attempting to climb back into bed again and failing before Elijah picked her up and put her on the mattress, tucking her in, "I'm the best damn actress in the fucking world."

"Potty mouth and physical misery aside," Elijah said, "are you happy we're gonna have another baby?"

"Yes," Selina said with a sigh. "Despite the fact that it makes me feel like hell, I'm glad we're having another baby."

Elijah chuckled and kissed her. "Thank you!" He got out."Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He was so happy he grabbed a surprised Felix, who had just skulked into the room, and began dancing around the room with him.

"It's nice to know you're happy," Selina told him. "But I-I'm really tired. Could you...could you leave so I can get some rest?"

"Sure," Elijah replied. "Sorry." He kissed her forehead. "Good night." And then he rubbed her stomach. "Goodnight to you too, little one."

**The End**

**A/n: Up next, a sequel: The Beauty Within**


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